PMFJI, but ALPA hasn't endorsed this NPRM. The NPRM as written differs from ALPA policy on crew rest, which is based on mountains of scientific data. ALPA has identified area in which the current NPRM falls short and is working to effect change.

ALPA is not trying to enable airlines to man trips with smaller seniority lists. ALPA's trying to address fatique issues. But even if you were to accept this latest NPRM as the final version, it is still a huge leap to conclude that these changes create the need for fewer pilots. There may be some routes in which is does, and many others in which it doesn't.

Regardless, this is about safety, you can't bring an argument to the table and have any credibility unless it has data to prove the safety aspects of the argument. It would be counter productive for ALPA to simply rely on arbitrary standards. It would make labor irrelvant to the process. ALPA is correct to rely on years of research when it makes its case.