Originally Posted by
CLMP
I'm not sure how much clearer the union could be on this subject. This strike has NOTHING to do with the NMB and lack of negotiating progress. This is to restore the status quo. If the NMB releases us, then we can strike for the new contract. But until then, this is a completely separate issue from the NMB release. Don't put the two together. You're not going to anger the mediators because this has nothing to do with mediation.
Waiting another month only to be subjected to the same tomfoolery is as naive as it gets. Regardless of what the new guy with the carrier landings writes, the LAST thing they want is a new contract. Their actions have confirmed that. The time is now, and it's coming like a freight train.
You're right the Union has been very clear on the subject, and i'm not sure how you surmised that I don't understand that from my post. Just because a status quo strike is a completely separate from the NMB release doesn't mean one can't affect the other. How do you know we're not going to anger the mediators? If your job was to mediate negotiations between 2 parties and 1 party took it upon themselves to forge their own path a mere weeks before you set a date, would you form an opinion?
It doesn't matter how separate the issues are...my guess is opinions will be formed. Maybe they won't care...maybe the NMB will be more likely to side with us...maybe they'll be mad and less likely to release us. We don't know...just like we don't know what the meeting is about. Why not wait a few more weeks and ensure we're not doing what we always accuse the company of doing...stepping over dollars to pick up dimes.