This is why things are done in secret. What happens at the very end of the negotiating process is the company lays their cards on the table. They will only agree to certain things if the language vague. This allows them to flip the switch at will. When times are good, pilots get what they want. But when times turn away from good, the company can start violating the contract and point to the weak language in the contract. Inevitably, the issue ends up as a grievance process and mediators agree with the companies position on the weak language. This is the part that is secret, the negotiators all know that this is how it will work, the pilots will not be told. It's a necessary evil to get the contract.

For many of you, this is the first time you have seen this. But this process and played out over and over again over the last 30 years. Its only new to you and your peers, those that have come before you have already moved on.

If everything went perfect, you wouldn't need alpa. Alpa needs you to keep needing them. Kind of like how Democrats operate, for example. Democrats will promise poor and minorities the world, will tell you how bad things are and how you need them to fight for you. But if they did get you what they promised, you would no longer vote democrat, presumably you are wealthy now and need to switch to being a Republican to preserve your wealth.