Unfortunately I agree. It's nearly impossible to get released and I don't like the one sided environment but it's a reality in this industry. RAH just got a nice contract last yeah but it cost each pilot well over six figures of opportunity cost from turning down several TA's over close to 9 years of negotiating/working on an expired contract. With virtually no ability to get released, retro-pay after contract expiration should be in every new TA these days. DAL has the ability to strike written in their contract if a new TA isn't reached shortly after the last one ends.