Trade unionism would not have returned to Continental as early as 1993, nor would a contract have been signed in 1995, without the cooperation of everyone--regardless of labor pedigree. The founders of IACP were an amalgamation of full-time CAL ALPA strikers, Old Cal pilots who crossed the picket line, newly hired pilots during the strike, and those who hired on after the strike settlement. The result was a record ratification election in which 92 percent of Continental's pilots voted for a return to trade unionism. That set a National Mediation Board record for an airline pilot certification ballot.

The first president of IACP was what you'd call a "scab," an Old Cal pilot who crossed the picket line. The second president was a full-term, battle-star-qualified striker. The third president was a former employee of that run-away shop that J. J. O'Donnell vowed would "never open a start valve," New York Air.

When ALPA returned to the property in 2000, it was another former NY Air IACP president that led the merger with the national union. Contrary to popular mythology, there was never an "amnesty" for CAL pilots who crossed the picket line. Case law based on the Railway Labor Act requires a successor union to accept all members in good standing of the predecessor union to be offered membership in the successor union. That would be the case should ALPA be replaced by another union on the United property.

Those are just the facts. If they upset you, so what? But they're posted for the benefit of those who are more interested in reality that continuing to fight a 30-year-old war.