It really is a matter of perspective. To 57% of us, we all won. To 43% of us, we all lost. However, with only 57% voting in favor - and considering the NC's biased roadshows/videos and our "influential" crew members' endorsement of the TA - there is one group that clearly won: FedEx Corp.

Now, I love working for a company that knows how to win, and does it so often and so ruthlessly. FDX negotiates this way for company acquisitions (e.g., TNT), a/c acquisitions, customer contracts, etc... They (upper management) master the negotiating trade. They know how to look and plan for the long-term (1 or 2 decades ahead of us). It just happens to suck when it is our union and crew force that is out-negotiated, out-paced, and out-lasted; and when it is our asses handed to us.

We had 4 years to prepare for a marathon, and 43% of us believe we gave up on mile 20. That happens. 6.2 miles to go is still a long way, and some were not willing to see if we would make it. The company owns the running course, and the remaining 6.2 miles were going to be steep, no doubt about it. Some of us thought we should give it our best effort and continue, but the majority of us were happy with what we had accomplished. It's over. It is time to train for the next marathon, and not be thinking about the last one.

So, we should now be working together. IMO, there should be no us/them between the whomever voted yes/no; and there should be no us/them between us and the company. I know some say we are always in negotiations. I don't necessarily see it that way. This is the time to do our jobs outstandingly well, to help the company continue to excel at what we do as a group. We need to help ourselves by doing our part in beating the competition. I have a couple of friends at UPS, and wish them the best personally, but I hope we kick their company's ass. The same thought goes for Amazon's airline.

Time to move on and make sure we here and dominating 3 decades from now - for those who will still be flying, and for those who will be collecting their retirement.