Company needs are based on block hours, not the level of stress the 19 year old crew schedulers are feeling because of flying they're trying to cover. My company hasn't furloughed, but I would pick up open time without thinking about it. When you think of the number of pairings being flown on any given day, 3 trips a week in open time are a drop in the bucket.

If the Union was telling me not to do something, then I'd respect it, but like you said, people signed up for this job and this industry and this is one of the known risks. This isn't the first time furloughs have gone out industry wide. Unless there is an official consensus of your group of pilots on the issue, I would come to my own conclusion.

I understand that you're frustrated and probably hurting a bit, many of us are, but taking your anger out on various forum goers has made you sound more arrogant than anything. Just because somebody passed ground school and has been on the line for a year doesn't entitle them to a soapbox.