Sorry for my humble opinion. If Cityjet are getting new aircraft in, and they don't have either sufficient or suitable crews to operate them, should they not investigate the availability of crews from elsewhere, including the US?
Don't TCX, among others, have reciprocal agreements that see US pilots working in the summer in the UK, then returning to the US for the winter? The CAA seem to endorse those with no problems.
Finally, if it's such a bad deal, surely Mesaba pilots have the right to say no? Are they being drected to Cityjet?
Told you it was a humble opinion, but I don't see why Cityjet should be pilloried for taking crews from good sources, and I don't see why US pilots should be pilloried for going wherever work is available. I'd choose that over unemployment anyday.