I don't think they would furlough CAs just to upgrade FOs. Any savings they'd get from the hourly rate would be eaten up completely by training costs. They're inability to effectively schedule training is the #1 reason we're in this mess in the first place. Hell, all they had to do was say "You're right" to the union last week, and they would have saved millions on the latest vacancy. Once again, management pride costs them tons of $$$, and, of course, it's the greedy pilots' fault for not wanting to bend over and take it in the shorts.
As for what can they do if the contract gets tossed, they most certainly can and will impose something that is FAR worse than what we currently have. Or even far worse than what Go Jets currently has. They appear to be taking an "all or nothing" stance on what they want out of this with the pilots, and I think a lot of them might really think they'll get it in court, especially after the AMR thing. I can tell ya one thing, if their rate sheet gets imposed, this place will self destruct in a matter of days. We've already got a TON of FOs that are basically just sticking it out to get their ATPs when their next PC rolls around. That rate sheet gets imposed, I'm gone. It'd be cheaper to go to work as a Burger King supervisor and be home every night rather than put up with Pinnacle's crap for Great Lakes pay and benefits.
