The DC9 F/O seat is not short--yet. The shortages are in the 767 CA, 767 FO and DC9 CA seats.

They are training 767 crews faster than previously possible as they've now added the ability to do sim training in DEN with UAL sims and contract instructors. They're more DC9 CA classes to come but they had "too many" 767 FO's bid the last class and they can't afford to lose them until they've had time to train more new 767 FOs.

The September bid package shows 113 DC9 Captains (with 8 more in training) and 139 DC9 F/Os so you can see that they still have a little ways to go before they'll be in panic mode on DC9 F/Os. Shouldn't be too much longer, though.

In the mean time, there really isn't much that the union can do about the junior manning. The e-board has made addressing the issue a high priority in contact negotiations but, for now, we're stuck with the current contract which doesn't give us many options.