Originally Posted by Oberon

I'm learning the contract. I read here which actually has a bit of good information from time-to-time. I ask questions to the guys I fly with and my mentor. I had one question about the multipurpose bank that required an email exchange with the contract committee who was super helpful. I'm certainly no expert and don't claim to be.

I don't think I need to be an expert on the contract to opine that saying "restoration" isn't a useful tactic, strategy, or whatever those espousing it choose to call it. I have been through a section 6 negotiation recently and frequently spoke with the negotiators and reps. The name of the game is maintaining an appearance of negotiating in good faith. If you are too rigid the mediator will take the other side. There were several time at my last company when the company tried to stonewall and the mediator called them on it. It was a different situation at a different company but the RLA covers everyone and the mediator is going to drive the process. Rallying the troupes with "restoration" sounds great, it really does, but right now it does nothing to improve our contract. That said, I could see using rhetoric to rally the pilots down the line if the company is stalling and the MEC wants a strike vote. That's a different situation than "setting restoration as an objective".

For what it's worth, I don't think setting an objective is a bad thing. Certainly the negotiators will set an objective and draw up a strategy that determines what the opener will be. Hopefully they'll do that after tabulating the survey, attending road shows, and doing due diligence on the negotiating environment. I'd also like to be kept in the loop on the progress of negotiations so I can plan accordingly.