450,
Just a little clarification.
The final deal was a 2nd TA voted on in early 1997. The Section 6 negotiations had a goal up to the TA #1 that all jets go to AA with APA mainline pilots. Once the senior APA leadership folded on the RJ issue with TA#1, there was no getting them back.
The RJ issue developed fairly late in the game which was a big problem. Some very smart junior guys had figured out that instead of providing "Feed" to AA as specified in the 1987 contract permitting Eagle, the new RJ's could replace mainline flights like ABQ-DFW-PIT/CLE/CMH or DSM-ORD-ALB/SYR. The junior guys were dead on correct, it happened.
Skywest and Comair were already operating them, and had for years,
I think this point needs a little clarification. Before the CRJ, there were a few exceptions to the mainline Scope Clauses at various airlines. For example, the BA-146's at Air Wisconsin for UAL and ASA for Delta as well as for the older Fokker jets at Horizon (I don't know their exact exception).
SkyWest had not been operating RJ's "for years". They only had 4 in 1995 and near the 1st TA at AA, they only had 10. The only Regional operating RJ's in significant numbers was Comair with around 40. It is also important to note that Comair and SkyWest at the time were not wholly owned and operated under Code Share provisions. Not so at AA under AMR. Our corporation sought to replace are mainline flying with low paid workers in another corporate division. They did that too. I think we are in agreement that the horse was escaping the proverbial barn at that point, but a win was still possible unlike after our 1st TA.
The other dynamic was that AA/APA were the first to enter negotiations after the early 90's recession. I believe NWA was next on deck and also had a no RJ's for feeder carriers as well. When APA folded, NWA ALPA had no choice either.
Thanks