So we went from we are negotiating with the company on this issue to a few reps are discussing it on a theoretically level. That's a wide gulf!!

Clearly you work at a different airline than I do. Going backwards? Really?? How much more hiring could we possibly do??

Things like this never come from a vacuum. I really doubt a couple reps came up with it on their own as a purely theoretical mental exercise. Its being kicked around, and they probably got it from somewhere, and BTW were receptive to it too.

It stands to reason that its floating around at the MEC and NC levels, even if its outside of the incoming fantasy opener from the company.
And yes, the bait was more PS. Absolutely ridiculous.

Nothing is 100% but as of today I am told there has been no offer or discussion of more PS. One of the big issues the company currently faces is non contract discontent with their PS. It would shock me if the company offered more.

What does this guy's wallet say?

I'll take a stab at this and say 1,200 more pilots. The company was willfully negligent when they went against Flight Ops recommendations and delayed hiring for a year. Many claim this was done to hit an earnings target they didn't want weighted down by the costs associated with hiring and training.

We often accuse the executives of making short sighted decisions for quarterly numbers and refuse to consider they are looking several moves ahead. It is possible they have intentionally created an environment where they can claim they need scope relief on JVs in order to keep the airline from collapsing. Be ready, that argument is coming sooner than you think.

The hiring freeze you mention was to show a first quarter profit. They needed so many consecutive quarters in order to get to investment grade and lower interest rates. The planned pilot hiring at that point was only 120 to 150 pilots that spring for the summer schedule. I have no idea how important a profit was overall but the planned hiring was small that year.

It wouldn't shock me at all. In fact, it could help the company out of two jams at once. The (some not all) Bolshevik noncons, who for some reason think they should automatically get for free what pilots negotiate and pay for, could also get the increase that we get in exchange for selling some of our jobs/scope. To be fair, I guess we'd be de facto selling their scope too though.

So we get a cookie, they get a cookie, and the company gets a KA/AM JV domination and more large RJ's. Win win right?

Does anyone have the DALPA jumpseat coordinator email handy?

How soon the non cons forget they traded PS (which the pilot group negotiated) for a raise.