My 2 cents..for what it's worth.
I suspect mainline mgmt. will fight tooth and nail to prevent any return of regional flying to the mainline senority list.(it is possible they will purchase a regional or two, but they almost assuredly will keep the certificates/lists/contracts seperate)
Why? For same reasons most posters here want the lists/contracts combined. If mgmt. puts all their eggs in one basket they are more vulnerable to a job action. They lose the ability to shift regional-size flying from one low bidder to another. They know they may get a one time contract at current low rates, but the next one would require big raises,etc. If they lose the ability to shift flying to some other low bidder, then they face either labor war or higher regional costs.
I will cite Comair as a historical example.They went on strike to achieve superior pay and work rules. Since achieving that better contract Delta has steered additional flying to cheaper operators. Now Comair is facing shrinking to, what is it..less than half their former size? Mngmt does not want to lose the ability to move flying around to different operators.If all flying is required to be on one senority list/contract they would lose that ability.
So, what can we do? Well, the mainline pilots can "buy" the flying back. However, I suspect that the cost would be so high that it would not get rank and file approval.
2.go on strike over it and risk everything on a case by case basis.
3.have a national senority list for all ALPA pilots (or some other visionary thinking union). That way as the flying gets shifted around, there would at least be ajob to "shift" to without taking pay cuts in the 75% range plus start over on probation.
Like I said,it's just my 2 cents. I am not Nostradameus, so all my musings may prove to be wrong, but I do think the "take it back" scenerio will be difficult.If anyone is serious about protecting careers, the national list is, in my opinion, the surest and fairest way.
So it goes.