I'll give you just one of many examples of why the 9E pilots/MEC know better than the XJ and 9L:

Call in Honest--management is trying to take the CIH provision out of the JCBA and put it in the FOM (which Mesaba has had all along).

XJ and 9L might actually fall for this stunt--because XJ's management was honorable, and honored their FOM provision on commuting.

9E pilots understand (from our experience) that there is a reason behind 9E putting that in the FOM and out of the CBA--Pinnacle changes policies on a monthly basis on numerous policies and procedures...they do it in realiation in some cases, and they do it for operational need in some cases (namely, when they screw up and take on more flying from Delta than they can handle--like all year this year).

Pinnacle pilots/MEC realize that the second a policy like CIH goes in the FOM, Pinnacle will modify it to suit their needs month-to-month...

Fat month of flying? Understaffed? We'll just revise the FOM until the new hires hit the line to require guys in base a day prior...oh, you have a problem with that? Sorry!!!! Operational necessity!!! You're fired if you don't like it!!!