Originally Posted by gloopy

The language was changed to prevent the possibility of the very same land grab that was being attempted. Had they not changed the language, and the PID was approved, the DL pilots would then have been in the position of binding arbitration where anything can happen. A staple would have been the floor, DOH the ceiling, and anything in between possible.

That risk could have been taken off the table before it even became an issue if the CMR/ASA MEC's had agreed up front that a staple would have been the absolute high water mark, but they refused to precisely because they wanted to take a moon shot. They were convinced that their PID acceptance was mandatory and once initiated, they would have a guaranteed SLI on the way anywhere along the staple-DOH continuum. Because of their greed (as you put it) the entire process was poisoned from the very beginning. They have absolutely no moral leg to stand on. They saw an opportunity for a windfall and took it over and above the unionism they were preaching.

Of course the "giants" upon whose "shoulders we stand" wouldn't like the current state of things relative to this issue. There's been tactical missteps and egos on all sides. But the regionals absolutely have to own their share of it, and the PID attempt in 2000 was completely mishandled on their end out of sheer arrogance and greed.