What this pilot group needs to realize is that they will threaten to furlough as a means to negotiate. They did it last time with the threat of furloughing the DC-10 guys and keeping the junior 767 pilots on property. It was just enough of a threat to barely pass our last contract. 6 weeks later the union got a phone that they were parking the DC-10's and furloughing anyway.
It worked last time so they think it will work again. There "magical" flow through with Ameriflight is going to dry up real quick. Why would those guys leave a steady, good paying job to come here and get **** on by the cp, crew scheduling, and travel just to say "I fly a 767 or 777?"
The 1224 helped sell out this pilot group the first time around because we were costing them to much money with ongoing negotiations, but thankfully we now have very competent negotiators and the industry has changed.
We hold the cards this time, we just have to nut up and stand together and we can force a change.