Your assumption that the UALALPA MEC attempted like CALALPA JP used JCBA and pay banding as a way to inflate the UAL side for SLI.
Just go back and look at the UAL/CAL side suggestions for integration. The final result was MUCH closer to the UAL side suggestion. Many on the low side of UAL senority didn't fair as would have been liked but the UAL side held to the New Merger Policy.

JP's shenanigans created the distrust and disunity that causes these little rants and tirades.