let me start off by saying that i don't know that much about the ins and outs of contracts however if i were a mainline pilot at the negotiating table, i would see that while the RJ is here to stay I would not want to be the one that is giving them flying. Why not try and make the few jobs at mainline xyz, that much better, and try to say something in a contract like; if the company does any shrinking that it has to shrink the express side first before any cuts can be imposed on the mainline side of things.
just a thought


cheers