Hard to take our little poll of malcontents as a solid reflection of 4800 pilots. However, if we make the leap that 51% or so vote no....here are some options.
The company can still fill the FDAs under the current CBA. Time will tell if they will be easy or hard to fill. Either way--nobody will be inversed into them. Like the postal LOA (or lack thereof) the company just works around it. Some guys miss out on tax equalization and 2700 cola. Moving packages from current CBA apply to those adventurous souls who go over there.
If there are vacancies, poolies and/or new hires might fill some of them. Tough duty for a new guy--but to join this team many will probably gladly take it. TonyC threw boxes...lots of guys did pro IP or corporate to get here--so there are prices we'll pay to be on this team.
The company could also approach the union and address some of the shortfalls of the LOA and try again. I don't know if management would consider this "weakness" and decide to forego any further tweaking. However, just redlining the STV would likely have gotten them the 51% they need--perhaps a lot more. Add some COLA and tuition offsets and I'll bet it would FLY through. How much more money? Hmmm....we could fight all day about "what you need" but I'd say another 2k or so and no STV and it would pass. Then again--I'm no MEC negotiator--so what do I know?
The huge fear is the company goes outside our brand to do the flying. I think our product and reputation are enough to keep that from happening. I also think 4800 highly agitated pilots would do everything they could to make self help the next step. Again--not a negotiator or RLA expert--but every action has a reaction. If we are really trying to work together here I don't think solutions are that far away that would satisfy the large majority of the crew force. Most of us dig the job, dig the company, and like the people we work with.
It won't be the end of the world if this fails--for the company or the crew force. Maybe our union will start listening and soliciting a bit more input instead of just "assuming" it knows what is best for us. On the other hand, most of us will do fine if it passes too. It won't be great for SOME of the force if it passes--but we'll hold our managers to their word and see how the STV plays out. With all the "we promise" speeches about STV is anyone does get inversed for more than 30 days I think the damage to the credibility of some of the managers would be incredible. Whatever happens, however, I do think it will be the end of the term for some of the union reps who tried to sell it to the force with fear and a sense of detached condescension.