MSheikh - Contractually our managers can only fly during the peak (think ~Christmas). Outside of the heavy volume flying right before and after Christmas they can only fly while doing line checks, for currency AND this is the key ->>> if we ever go on strike.. if you understand that you understand why the position was created.

Currency flying means they have to displace IPA pilots meaning an IPA pilot stays home with full pay while a manager flies and gets paid. They're on salary and get paid whether they fly or do office work.
Displacing an IPA pilot is a very expensive arrangement for the company. Basically they pay two pilots for the same trip. They have no protection, they can never join our union, they're all individual contractors. Their real competition are other managers. To have any chance of advancement they must prove themselves to the company which creates a cesspool of ruthlessly fierce competition.

"...Does ups only hire instructors/check airmen as management pilots or can line guys be instructors too?
Yes, line pilots can be instructors too and we're still fighting for check airmen positions. One day ALL those jobs will be ours, it'll happen.
In our vernacular "line pilots" means IPA pilots as they - nurps, instantaneous captains, uber-pilots or whatever term you choose don't have lines per se. They fly wherever and whenever they get sent.

You say "..So that's what happened when ups was furloughing." as if that's the only flaw with the setup?? No, the whole idea is morally wrong.
Then you ask "..What about nowadays though? Outside of this forum, how would guys applying for the position know the history of the position and why it would rub people the wrong way if they took it?"

I don't know, reasearch and a very tiny spec of common sense maybe? Just think, why on earth would a major airline with several thousand highly qualified pilots who've been flying their jets full of cargo all over the world, for years and years and years, put newhires in the left seat??? Do you believe we don't have enough qualified individuals to be captains?

Not too long ago it took 17+ years to upgrade and yet people were patiently waiting for their turn. Pretty much every Christmas we get an "advancement opportunity" invite when we get a letter asking us to apply for a promotion and become instantaneous captains (join management). A minuscule number of line pilot first officers took the opportunity. Not a single captain has ever crossed from being a line pilot to becoming a manager. Ever. What does that tell you?

Do not, I repeat, do not think that furlough years is what broke the camel's back. No, it was the most disgusting display of it and those who took nurp jobs during that time showed their true colors but the setup has been wrong all along. It's contentious and will be fought, now and always. They are all nice guys and typically we all get along however, no one can say "I didn't know..." because there's plenty of info out there. A person must be living under a rock to think this airline's non-union replacement pilot position is just a regular pilot job.