For the newbies in this business:

1. Kirby can't unilaterally "void" the contract. Lorenzo's actions, back in the day, caused the laws to be changed, even in BK.

2. Almost all contracts take months if not years beyond the amendable date to be agreed upon.

3. The biggest issue here was Senior Management basically gave indications that an early agreement was possible. The last time a UAL management did such a thing led to the ugliest summer in travel history.

4. "Not rushing" into an agreement really a dumb thing to state from our MEC. We have never "rushed" into any agreement. However one exception might be during UAL's BK where the MC sold out the RJs in a back room deal attempting to "save" the defined benefit plan.

5. "Retro-pay" has been a very rare part of our past agreements. Many things can effect the final agreement and retro is a monetary part of that agreement.

6. Save at least 3 - 6 months of living expenses because it may take a strike(although again rare) to actually defend our agreement.

What we get paid and the work rules are not some gift given to us from management, they are earned through negotiations and corporate pilot resolve.