Originally Posted by
Baradium
Something you are neglecting is when there is higher reserve staffing there are many pilots who can hold a line who bid reserve with the idea of getting full pay for not working. Since there were SILs in your category there are likely pilots like that in your category who wouldn't do it if SILs were awarded since reserves would fly more. In fact, lines may very well go more junior without SILs present. The numbers point to SILs being bad for reserves overall, especially since they reduce the number of days off for all the reserves (eliminating the extra X day).
I thought the same also, but in a sample size of 1 category, that was not the case. Six "senior" pilots bid reserve in June when there were no SILs offered. 13 bid reserve in July with 25hr SILs offered and 14 bid reserve in August when 40hr SILs were offered. *This was not an exhaustive analysis, just a quick driveby of the data in one category.
I think the company's admission of being overstaffed, by offering SILs, drew attention to the fact the reserves weren't being utilized and it went senior to where it had before. What used to be a secret known only to those on reserve was publicized for all to read about.