The hardest part will be turning around ALPA. We need ALPA to get the job done. We have some truly excellent minds in our association, many of whom are afraid to stand up for fear of being marginalized. I give these people credit for being tremendously astute at getting things done for pilots. Generally, we negotiate to:

• Stop agreeing to further outsourcing
• Sunset outsourcing agreements
• Fight for a requirement that ALPA members perform any outsourced flying
• Fight for mergers ... Delta numbers for Delta flying
• Be pragmatic, reasonable, but never forget our goals

and despite my rants, I think contract 2012 was a small step in the right direction ... but I'll be complaining about outsourcing as long as I am part of a labor group.

... and that's my strike issue.