You seem to be stating two different things here. Contracted flying is not something that happens quickly. To subcontract a 767/747, whatever, takes a little time and is very expensive at the moment. Think medium to long term solution to a problem for contractors. This takes a little planning and coordination. Picking up OT and J/A's is more a short term and emergency solution. This is where our pilots step in.

It not specific to OT/JA's. It's waiving the contract as an example. It is amazing how unscrupulous schedulers are with this. Almost every time I get a scheduling advisement there is a contract violation in there somewhere. Everyone gets electronic advisements these days. Once you acknowledge you are waiving the contract. Most people do this completely unaware. I never acknowledge those. I always call and ask if the advisement is contractual. You would be amazed at what our CS'ers see when they put stuff on our lines. Any violation comes up in RED with the "new" program. Of course what happens when they tell me where the violation is, I refuse as its non contractual. A supervisor comes on and tells me to "fly and grieve", which unfortunately is the stance the union takes. So that is what happens. I end up flying anyway, but a grievance is filed on the contract violation. Is this a pain on my part? Yes. I only hope it "helps" us put an end to much of the nonsense that is happening to our schedules these days.

Don't get me started about payroll.

My point is there is VERY little that can be done by the membership to help us get a new contract. OT/JA's, contract compliance. Grievance's. ER and ASAP's. Fly the contract. Don't fly fatigued. Really about it. IF you want to fly OT or JA's it is totally fine. It's contractual, but complaining about not getting a contract and the schedules, then doing the very thing that prevents the group from getting a contract is all I tried to point out.