We were all offered the same deal. The NWA MEC didn't accept it (for whatever reason you want to assign to it) and the deal got worse for all of us because Delta took money off the table because the economy was getting worse. It's living proof that just waiting and/or demanding more doesn't make the deal better as much as timing and knowing when to say when does. I'd love to have that 2% in my pocket and more DC growing since the market crash and NWA guys not in matrixes, but ideological differences in the MECs did this. People did this. Egos did this.

Same management team and if you believe everyone on here the former NWA reps and former Delta reps are essentially the same today or are at least similar thinking as the merger teams.

The former conspiracy games even made it into our lawsuits like Tanksley where a judge literally points out from documents that the “[t]he Bartels clan wanted to get [cost containment] out on the hotline and Bill has fanned flames of set up/conspiracy."

You have one side of the MEC (based on what I've read here) attempting to negotiate and another side leaking out strange details for political reasons and trying to run the clock down (in hopes?) of generating pressure to make the deal better. Getting a deal early/on time (TVM) vs going full blown Section 6 (29 months of mediation).

Does anyone here think that going into mediation this March will yield a better deal looking at FedEx and UPS and SWA? Really?

Whatever the political hold up on the MEC is, both sides need to figure out what plan B is to reach a deal and not just default to "it's not my fault, the mediators did it." How long does anyone here think that Delta is going to drop everything and sit down with us. At some point all these management guys need to go back to running the airline. There's a reason the NMB requires we negotiate in good faith.

Dropping the stand ups out of FAR 117 had a price thrown around of a few million dollars. Which side was right? Do we want the flying or not? Apparently there is a price. I don't want crew meals. Other guys do.

LCA bidding...Delta will still buy the trips they need and guys will still be paid to stay home but it might not be biddable (if true) which only helps a few senior guys in reality. If it is true it sounds more like when MAC charter flying went into PCS for all of us instead of the Bubbas doing it all with a late night call from you favorite scheduler. Delta will still have to buy guys off trips for training like they do today.