Was right on every level including the basement where you dwell!  

Who cares how long a "Temp Pilot" position is for!   A Temp Pilot position is there to fill in for the pilot who is on an LOA, however long that period is determined to be!  Are you suggesting that the company can post a Temp Pilot position, making it one year for the pilot who takes it, and locks out the LOA pilot for a whole year??   No, don't think so, but that what you are arguing about the "1 year".   It's as long as it needs to be!

What changed was the union giving away a position of a pilot out on a medical, and have created a means for others to steal it from him without seniority bidding!   Like was mentioned, a line pilot won't give up his position to bid for a temp position not knowing if the pilot will return or not (unless that pilot wants to effectively become a pool pilot anyways).   Because, a temp pilot IS a pool pilot position - assigned at a base to work a line in the absense of the pilot away.   And, that is why it was created!  That is the correct history!

Regional Relief Pilots are the fillers of irregular openings due to short term callouts, vacation, Union Leave Of Absenses (if approved by the company), jury duty, etc.   They are the company's "reserve line holders", in essence.

Pool Pilots were created to cover a temporary empty line of a sustained duration (such as a Medical Leave of Absence, or a Military Leave of Absense).

The language was changed not to "remain consistent with other areas in the contract", it was changed to give away a pilot's base protection if from 3 years to 1 year.   There is no other reason!   Job protection?   The company is so short pilots it will use/rehire a pilot anytime that pilot is there, so the pilot ALWAYS has "job protection" anyways.   What the 3 years provides is company seniority protection, not "job" protection.  Please don't attempt to lecture someone for not knowing what he's talking about when it is clear, it is you who doesn't!

Lastly, in many LEGITIMATE medical absenses, it can easily take a pilot well over a year to regain his Class II medical, and the union's job is (was in this case) to protect it's members; not give away that member's rights to others.   He earned that position through his seniority, and the union seems eager to make it easy for that pilot to forfeit that to someone else.   Entitled?   Sounds to me like it is you who's feeling the right to an entitlement!

Be a victim in a car accident and lose conscioiusness, then report back how long it takes to get your medical back!