Originally Posted by Plane Ramrod

Ummm... No.

1. Get in and out of mediation asap
2. Hold out for what a good deal is at that time. This is where we let the MEC/NC hose us last time. They told us the strike was over, go back to work. Three weeks later we got to see the TA. Then the road show sales job started with the threat that a) the NC would quit if the TA failed; and b) we would be in no-man's land if it failed because our brain-trust didn't write a contingency for how a failed TA would be handled into the six page back to work agreement. A lot of pilots were scared into a yes vote because they thought a failed TA meant the end of days. Whether or not you blame incompetence on the NC for omitting it, or if it was omitted on purpose to apply leverage to us is up to you. It is interesting though that 2/3 of the same guys that threatened to quit and leave us hanging are still on the NC. This is why I wanted them gone last year before all the off-record stuff started. BTW, that first year pay actually went down from the 2003 CBA.

Maybe YOU will understand why I get p1ssed when you blame a degenerate like me for loading the NC with people you feel are only acting in MY best interest. If you are interested in a RLA primer click here. Section V - Major Disputes is the applicable section.