Drinks you make good, logical valid points.

I too agree the backfill provision is the major sticking point. But keep in mind WHY the company is asking for it - it's simply because we have (by far) the largest % of ground handling and mtc done by our own people.

In a perfect world everything would be AA. I would bet the company would even prefer it as it means more management jobs. But when the union comes in and makes that entry level baggage handler job a career job with medical and pension, meanwhile Delta's costs are under half, there is significant incentive to outsource. The union wants ALL the jobs with higher pay. That is what put US Air in their position after the PSA/Piedmont mergers.

As for the new HQ - building such an extravagant (set!) of buildings is a good example of not leading by example. You don't see the carriers they are comparing themselves to building massive trophy towers. Where is their fiscal restraint? Yet they want us to sit in hot-ass airplanes to save $10 in gas? Management and our support staff sit in air conditioned offices, meanwhile I sat in the back of a 737 commuting home yesterday that must've been 90*if not warmer for the pushback and 30 min taxi. The pax around me were livid and kept making remarks about how hot it was.