Originally Posted by Baron50

Well, so long as we are speculating on what never happened, how about the BK Judge sending the parties back to the table or the people who had a lot of money to lose insisting that management negotiate instead of seeking revenge for the summer of love. Possibly, had we not rolled over in 2003, we would not have seen the 2005 hit. Even their BK attorney admitted later that they had a two step strategy to get the pension. Remarkably some of the MEC predicted it.

After the exit, there was a small window where we had an opportunity to improve the contract, unfortunately in the short sighted rush to "save the company" we were stuck with the BK contract until the furloughs became the focus.

I agree, we should never depend on the courts to save us. They are only politicos for the party that put them there, and like the public, they have no sympathy for our issues. It's about cheap fares and slapping labor down for these people.

It should be clear by now, there will not be a contract until the company feels the pressure from their bankers to avoid financial pain. In other words, a strike. The sooner the MEC leadership is replaced with those that recognize this and starts educating the pilots as to why and how they can be successful at shutting down the operation, the sooner you will have an agreement. The notion that the government will not let United strike is nonsense. The law requires the mediator to eventually release the parties, and if a PEB is invoked, it has a 60 or 90 day time limit. So, if the union really wants to strike it can be done. The fact is, ALPA does not want you to strike, too risky for them. UAL is their cash cow. That is no different than 1985.

You will hear that Obama does not want any strikes before the election, or the economic environment is not right, or the pilots are not ready. These are all excuses, the environment will never be right for some people, but the majority can be brought along by education and good leadership. The first item that should be on the agenda for next MEC chairman is to get a 96% strike authorization. That is within the rules of the RLA and the TRO judge has nothing to say about it.