Captainv hit it squarely on the head when he said,"Our pilot group could put a stop to a lot of it by getting to know the CBA: you don't need a backup flight, ever; hold the company to CBA-compliant hotels or travel, and use the relief granted in the CBA when they don't; and WRITE IT UP when they try something funny. The union can't fight what it doesn't know about."

Each and every time someone at headquarters has tried to fudge the contract with me they've backed off when I quoted them book, chapter and verse of how it wasn't allowed by the CBA. They will try to fill trips the least expensive way; that's their job (at least as headquarters sees it). I'd venture to say that's an accurate statement of any airline management you can find out there. My job is to be certain I know the contract and hold them to it. It doesn't get personal; I'm friendly with them and they're friendly with me. Nonetheless, I won't allow them to skirt around any protections our CBA may afford.