For a moment let's step back from the name calling and innuendo and try to look at this dispassionately. The letter that was sent to the Kalitta Air pilot group does not throw the Teamsters out on their ear. It simply petitions the NMB to allow, monitor and hold a vote on the Teamsters continuing to represent the pilots of K4.

I have used two analogies in the last few days to explain this to my family and a few interested friends.

1. Every few years my wife and I review our life, home and auto insurance policies to see if they still meet our needs and are price competitive. Many times, they are and we retain the existing policy. Sometimes they are not and we make a change.

2. If you had your house for sale during a good market and it had not sold in a year would you not revisit your choice of realtor? Of course, there are variables that you yourself may have set that are keeping it from selling but surely you would entertain the thought that the realtor was not serving your needs.

This is all that the Kalitta pilots are currently doing. Looking at options. If we eventually have a NMB ballot the Teamsters might very well come out on top. There are compelling reasons for keeping them. On the other hand, there might be a better union option for the K4 pilots. Wouldn't it be silly to not at least look at the alternatives?