Cynicism is strong here... anybody remember back in '96 or '97 when that small, but vocal, group of pilots suggested via union meeting proposal that the (North) pilot's defined benefit pension fund be converted to a defined contribution? And they were practically laughed off the property? Six or eight years later, that's exactly what happened, and we were raked over the coals for the delay that it cost the pilot group. Probably cost the most senior guys, well, who knows what. Maybe if there'd been more folks like BobZ around back then. Just sayin'...

On another note, Kuddos to the N/C and our Association's leadership for this opener. And I agree with one of the posters above, not a lot of room to negotiate downward, but plenty reasonable for the arbitration board to see things our way.