Originally Posted by
sleeves
First of all negotiations don't end up in binding arbitration unless you agree to it and give up your self help right.
Secondly keeping the scope you have can be done. An example of this is the LCAL contract 02. While it was concessionary and ground was given in many areas the 50 seat jet scope was successfully retained at a time that the "industry standard" was 70 seats. The idea was that scope once given away is impossible to recapture while pay rates, work rules etc... Can be improved.
I can't imagine a major airline ever being allowed to strike. At least not UAL, DAL, AA, or SWA. Too big and too much disruption. We wanted pricing power, job security, and the consolidation over the las 10 years gave us that. What we gave up for it was self-help.
So you gave up a bunch of pay and QOL to have 70 seaters flown on the property. How many 70 seaters did the company buy for you to fly?
Were your code sharing partners flying those 70 seaters as part of their express operations? Were your code sharing partners flying 747s, 777s, 767s, etc?
You can fight the 70 or 76 seat battle all you want, but you aren't going to win it. That pandora's box was opened and its out there now.