This ex YXer echoes the no scope = no vote sentiment.
I can tell you from personal experience, and that WITH some semblance of a scope clause in force, that you do not want to experience a day when a RAH170(pick your CPA carrier) in your paint pulls up to the gates you used to fly out of and picks up the pax you used to fly. On the bright side it does free up time for picketing.
Since I was standing next to him on that day, I am pretty sure the VX MEC Chair understands this problem.