I do not see how the above is true. "Flow-up/flow-back" agreements have nearly always worked better at letting mainliners flow back to regional jobs in lean times than letting regional pilots move up to the mainline in good times. Regional pilots may outnumber mainliners, but the mainliners probably pay a larger share of the dues received. So long as this is true, mainline pilots will have the lion's share of the influence in ALPA.

I think a move in a much different direction is required. A national contract with one rate of pay per aircraft type or size and matching work rules would allow pilots to stop competing with each other to see who can fly for less pay and less time off. This will not occur if our profession fragments into nothing more than one employer unions. Additionally, a bunch of smaller unions will have less ability to influence the political process.