In the past, when aircraft were sitting idle, envoy/Eagle did not hesitate to furlough. Because why pay the salaries and benefits of employees who aren't working? In recent months, however, they chose to do just that. Why is that? And why are they metering the flowthrough due to staffing? And why, when planes are sitting idle, as you say, and they are offering zero- and part-time lines, and many reserves barely fly, is this normally tightwad management team offering retention bonuses? Doesn't make sense, does it? Except that it does. Everybody knows a staffing crunch is coming. In the first 2 months of this year we hired 40 pilots, while 99 left. How long can we keep that up? At some point soon, not immediately but soon, staffing will be become an issue here, just as it is an issue at every regional. At that point, we get to see if this management team, who violates the contract any time they are remotely inconvenienced by it, who hides behind "operational necessity" in every grievance, will honor the flowthrough. I personally think we'll make it just through the 824 before the violations begin, but do you really see them parking expensive, profitable planes some day, just to honor our contract? They aren't willing to delay a single flight or burn through a single available reserve to honor it today.

I think that is plenty of substance.