XRF100,
Feedback we've had is those employed directly onto the ATR from outside Skywest didn't want the Virgin Australia pilots. Even though Skywest were advertising for positions (C & T, Capts etc) every few weeks. The current Skywest agreement does allow for DEC and this has happened on the ATR on the East Coast.
Virgin Australia sent an EOI at the same time Skywest was advertising, asking for interest from pilots for C & T and Training positions. The plan was for these pilots to be employed under Skywest EBA for 2 years and take LWOP from Virgin Australia. Virgin received around 30 EOI from both Capts and FO's with many of these pilots holding previous Check and Training experience. In the end none were offered positions.
Many of those pilots employed onto the ATR had missed out on Virgin previously and may see this has a back door into Virgin. Skywest not taking any pilots from Virgin has not gone down to well with some of the pilot group.
Plus when a Virgin Australia 737 is following ATR and told by they are number 2 to the ATR and the 737 pilot asks "is that one of ours" and before the controller can reply the ATR pilot replies "no it's one of ours" it really does create an "US" and "THEM" culture.