Ultimately we are at the mercy of the NMB. If they think that they can decide what's "fair" then we will be forced into choosing between voting on a mediocre contract or maintaining status quo. My preference in that case would be to send a resounding NO vote (80% or more) to the company and the NMB.

Threaten me all you want. If it's not industry standard I'm not supporting it.[/QUOTE]

I agree that the NMB controls the direction and speed of this process. Where I disagree with you is I don't think we will ever get to vote on a TA with the purpose of voting it down (80% or more) to send a message to the company and the NMB. Hence I made the point that any TA that the Union brings before us will pass. I trust the unions judgment on what is worth voting on.

Problem is that Spirit was the last Union that was allowed to strike, who was on the other side of the table? JN and this indigo company. They are well versed in how to drag out the process. If the NMB was really concerned about progress or considering releasing F9 the offers from the company would be getting closer to industry standard not farther away. Why throw PBS at us? Why lower the pay rates again? I wonder if there is a plan in place to merge with another carrier that already has PBS and the company's argument is that it needs now to be added to our contract.

I hope we are released after the next meeting, but wasn't our very last session supposed to be last Sept when the company was warned to come prepared ready to finish this? Since then it just drags on and on. Now we have two new members on the NMB and no end in sight.

If this takes another year or two this will be my last contract before I retire. 1-2 years to finish this one, plus a 5 year contract plus 3-5 years for the next contract equals 9-11 years before the next one. This is the best environment for us to get the contract we deserve, now is the time!

I hope I'm wrong about this dragging on and on, I am committed to a industry standard contract!

100% ready to strike