All parties supposedly say they are willing to let the arbitrators decide this SLI and the arbitrators assert their right to do just that in accordance with M-B. The Nic is already as relevant and front and center as it could ever be if that standard is truly in control. The West WILL base their proposed integration model on a pure Nic and will argue for such. Therefore, if the arbitrators have all the information regarding the Nic's history and the positions, it would be unnecessary for anyone else to argue for it for to do so really won't change the arbitrators position on its validity.

The REALITY of the status quo was that this merger was consummated with THREE separate seniority lists and the APA ensured a fair chance for all THREE appointed committees the ability to make their case. That would be the fair process to meet the McCaskill-Bond requirements. That process should not be subverted to allow one party to engineer a strategy to essentially hijack the process by obtaining the ability to control others including requiring a supposedly neutral union governing body to no longer remain neutral.

Hopefully Silver will grant the three pre-merger committees free reign to argue their positions in accordance with M-B and not require any position on anything of APA other then meeting their responsibility under M-B to ensure a fair process. The arbitrators are well aware of all the Nic issues and history, that everyone can be sure of and they probably have already come to some conclusion on what they plan to do with that aspect of the integration in crafting their final ISL.