I have no involvement with the company in any way shape or form and never have. I simply asked several of the reps about where the survey came in at. All were willing to give a basic idea without repeating hard numbers about what initial raise most pilots want.
In general airline pilots tend to have above average intelligence. When they fill out something as important as a contract survey they are thinking about their family and how best to provide the highest quality of life for them. They understand most of the forces at work in the industry and will try and construct survey items and numbers they feel are realistic and achievable given all the constraints in this industry. There are always a few who will put down bizarre things they demand but they are very few. The impression I got from my reps was that the contract surveys were for the most part well thought out and very rational. Our opener was crafted from those surveys. I guess this forum is now saying we should ignore the wishes of the pilot group especially if they don't match up with what a specific individuals wants. In many cases the surveys did not match up with what many reps wanted such as increasing hours but it was one of the biggest items in the survey. I have no doubt that is true because when I tried to explain on here how those type changes at Delta had a huge effect on advancement and jobs and everyone jumped all over the I need to work more train. Now when its in the surveys they deny anyone would say that.
The last classic line you hear is to simply state that everyone involved in the contract which is a fairly large group are all liars and its a big conspiracy where they forged all the results. Considering the most recent statements from DPA I guess that logic might resonate within a specific group. Since the vast majority of pilots that are working to get us a new contract will return to the line and work under that contract I find any such reasoning having zero merit.