Originally Posted by WiFly

The FA jumpseat issue is a legitimate problem, but it's entirely caused by the FA union APFA. The FAs intentionally lock pilots out of the jumpseat in a spiteful attempt to get flight deck jumpseat access. This is what happens when there's no quality control on FA conduct.

I'm willing to bet the company would prefer pilots have access to empty FA jumpseats since it would improve reliability and reduce commuter misses.