Eagle,
I think you need to get used to the idea of the NIC being used in its undiluted state. This will prevent any big disappointments in the future. The reason the group 2 west FO is still an FO is because the west has been marooned in PHX due to East tyranny of the majority for 8 years now. It doesn't matter what you think is fair it matters what the 9th and the arbitrators determine to be fair. Whatever that West FO can hold on the NIC is what he brings to the merger. Your argument won't hold in front of an arbitration panel. But I hope your committee thinks exactly like you do because they will get their clocks cleaned just like US Air ALPA did 8 years ago.
The only viable option for APA at this point is to argue that the AA career is a more valuable one and they should be given more credit for superior career expectations. That might work to an extent. But getting caught up in supposed windfalls for west pilots who have had a boot on their neck for the last 8 years won't get you very far. Not only will you be trying to undo the work of Nicolau but you would be saying you are smarter than the 9th. Shaky ground. It would be a massive waste of political capital and credibility to try and reorder the NIC award. I'm surprised APA tried it in their opener. Now they have egg in their face with a proposal that is very much aligned with the jihadis on the East