Can you provide a source document that says this? The merger and fragmentation policy that I have says that MEC's can set up a merger fund, via assessment, but it doesn't say what to spend the money on. The way I have always read it, it says in an ALPA-ALPA merger, ALPA National will NOT let the two MEC's spend ALPA money on attorneys or advisors fees. So, that would lend one to "INFER" that ALPA National controls the entire process. The merger and fragmentation policy repeatedly (and I do mean repeatedly) speaks of "the process." Regarding funding, I am aware that MEC's need to meet OFTEN, so that it would be logical that the normal trip-loss budget would be blown through, and the assessment moneys would be used to cover that stuff. But the policy specifically prohibits spending of the moneys for attorneys and advisors. I would say you would be correct if it were alpa-non alpa merger. Different though.....No?