bassslayer, while I'd love nothing more than to give you a number of how many people would be recalled if nobody picked up opentime, one very important factor missing that only management (and perhaps Scheduling Committee) knows is the average monthly opentime picked up by the pilot group.

Let's say for round numbers, FOs pick up a historical average of 220 open time hours each month. With reserve pilots making a 75 hour guarantee, that's 5 hours shy of 3 pilots who could be recalled; odds are strong that at least 2 more pilots would be needed. Now management isn't going to recall only 2 (or even 3) pilots, but if captains historically picked up the same amount of opentime then 2-3 FOs would resume their CA seat and there would be a need for 4-6 FOs...which should make a recall cost-effective.

Yes, management could attempt to spread that 220 hours of historical opentime pickup in each seat to reserves in order to keep their current staffing...but that makes fewer reserves available for irregular ops and sick calls, getting closer to the magical "breaking point" in the staffing models.

If one pilot gets recalled (or keeps their job) due to individuals refusing open time, doesn't that make their individual sacrifices in the name of "unity" worthwhile?