In many/most cases, at least in the US, those RJ jobs are given to different airline groups, outside the scope of the contract, at lower wages and benefits.
One prominent example is Delta and Comair. Delta pilots are being furloughed, but Comair ("Delta Connection") is hiring significantly. The "fuss" is that Delta pilots are losing their jobs, contrary to the "no furlough" terms of their contract. The contractually proper thing for Delta to do would be to incorporate those RJs into Delta mainline and transfer their pilots from the larger jets to the smaller jets.