What choice did they have? ALPA set forth no rules for merging. Just sit in a room and work it out. Well when two pilot groups don't work it out what choice do they have? Only one; arbitration so ALPA says. They agree thinking that the judge (arbitrator) will be fair. Again what choice do they have? Keep meeting and not agreeing forever? The east pilots simply wanted what every other employee group had gotten; date of hire integration. AW pilots said, "No way we want it all". Again what choice is there but go to arbitration. That was the east's pilots only choice.

See this thread: http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...ad.php?t=23984