Hoss, true story from the Heppner files...

As USUAL, the RUMORS floating out just before Heppner's contract TA were horrendous. And as USUAL, they proved to be very ACCURATE. I am reminded of the 60 Minutes piece on our bankruptcy when spreyregen spoke about "managing expectations" I believe that the rumors were designed and released to allow the miasma to settle in slowly. To reduce expectations and let hot heads cool

Pilot spittle was flying around the crew room! Guys were ****ed. Meanwhile, the NOT SO SMART guys who wanted you to believe they were IN THE KNOW told us that we were FOS and that their buddy WHO KNEW A GUY assured them that the rumors were BS. Fast forward to day 4 of my trip. We were at the gate in SFO and guess who walks into the cockpit in jeans and a polo? Jay Heppner, the Grande Pooh-bah.

Jay says, "good news boys, we've got our TA" My BIG C Captain began asking specific questions about a few of the UGLYier rumors. Jay just shook his head "NO" over and over while holding his hands out wide as if he were holding a huge pie. "It's all there, It's all there" is all he would say. My Captain persisted. So did Jay, never answering his questions. "It's all there"

Guess what? A week or so later we are voting on a concessionary POS TA filled with "rumors". Two weeks later it passes. My disgust with the union (of which I used to be a proud member) began that day.

I REALLY thought that Insler would force positive change based on his performance as grievance chair. Nope. As far as I am concerned, UA-ALPA has been all downhill since that day in SFO. But insler has tilted the board solidly in UA's favor. He has fractured the group and lowered expectations. You guys have a LOT of work ahead of you. But it's nice to see the revolt. TumiTA was an abomination.