I choose to look at it differently. Every seat in every base has guys on reserve and always will. Widebody Captains in most domiciles etc. So maybe 15 percent or so of the pilot group will always be on reserve. How many guys bypass a significant upgrade opportunity and why? Because reserve sucks and is worse than it used to be.
Look at how junior the left seat went at LCAL vs LUAL pre merge. Reserve was so abusive that it went very very junior. I could hold the guppy in EWR today, but choose not too. If the SC nonsense wasn't so prevalent (or was identical to the way it was at LUAL prior to this contract) I'd give it serious consideration. Not now. That's a lot of money.
Reserve has gotten a ton of negative airplay since this carrot has been dangled precisely because it was mentioned in the original letter. Had the bullet point been trip trading or PBS, I doubt so many would be so quick to blast those who had voiced their disappointment about it being dropped.
I think it speaks volumes when commuter guys get hired here and comment on how lousy our Reserve system is. Reserve can be a great way to sharp shoot days off, or to maximize pay. Or, it can just suck. Clearly most here are unwilling to budge on the issue.