I've spent the past two days thinking about what has happened to our collective progress, or lack thereof depending on which "side" you listen to. I referenced a section of the latest "Magenta Line" put forth by the EWR reps. It's important enough that I felt compelled to post it again in its own thread.

" I spoke one on one with our Negotiating Committee Chairman Captain Dave Owens for 45 minutes several weeks ago, and he provided me great details on the progress made to that point. I was frankly amazed at how far management has moved to improve scheduling work rules beyond what any Continental pilot has ever experienced, at least since 1983 and before. The slave labor days of no contract, C'95, C'97 and C'02 will finally come to a close."

This literally stunned me. I'm not even sure how to react to this, but I've been trying to collect my thoughts. In my mind, this is a micro example of our main issue. In an attempt to keep this from a name calling, finger pointing mess, I will explain why I find this disturbing to say the least.

1) Two years ago, management verbally committed to using UAL work rules as a base line, and negotiating up since they are hugely concessionary rules only extractable in Ch 11. They withdrew that promise the minute the DOJ approved the merger.

2) 15 or so months later, we still can't get to UAL work rules. While the EWR reps might be shocked at how far management moved, I'm shocked that we've spent this long trying to undo another management broken promise.

3) I can't believe that a MEC rep would post this opinion, as it publicly tells the company and the mediator that we are more than happy with the pace of negotiations. I find this mind boggling, as spending over a year to still fall short of a previously promised position is management stalling at its best.

4) If it's taken us this long to negotiate to keep our CRAPPY work rules, how long is it going to take to negotiate the REAL meat of the contract, which is scope? JP's assertion that we are starting super negotiations rings hollow to me, as that was promised in January, yet we still meet once a week with no real decision makers who skip meetings when it's convenient? If JP truly believes management when they recently agreed to a June 15th target, then JH's request that they put it in writing should be no problem.

Long and short. I'm trying to understand this publication by the EWR MEC. I have no personal beef with the CAL pilots that weren't scabs. I don't even have a personal beef with JP, though I firmly believe that he and Wendy mishandled this merger in epic fashion. I want action, and I want results. And I'm not understanding how every UCH pilot doesnt feel the same. Could somebody please explain to me how putting this Magenta Line out helps us with a Joint Contract? That's the stated goal that everyone claims to be working towards?