Apologies for verbosity.

I get it. I’m a noob, I don’t know the territory etc. I ALSO do absolutely respect the pain thats been felt on the line and the WARN stuff was BS for a company with this balance sheet.

Well, as I read more and more history (ref. Lew’s recent “book“ on Delta, and the other subs reactions to it), it seems like knowing the territory is knowing protracted negotiations and a general sense of failure in the end. Am I wrong? Is the current method working for you?

Is the company threatened by a pilot with seniority? That guy is never going to leave - reference the anonymous pilots here whose posts haven’t changed in over a decade (I checked) yet they still show up and do their job every day.

The REAL power lies with the new hires, and potential attrition. Thats good for nobody and costs big money - especially now with a limited supply and a race to onboard and retain before the competition can. Its all for naught if you lose them in a year.

Pilots care about $$$ and QOL. I can only speak for myself, but this isn’t a dockyard where pressure/threats/lists would have any affect on me (if I decide to apply), because there is no room for that in the cockpit and I won’t have to work with an angry mob every day convincing me otherwise. Maybe it works on others. Heck, is there free food and music at the Spirit party??? I’ll be the guy with the ruffles and the top hat. (Ok, ok just pushing your buttons- keep reading…)

If any real movement will take place, there has to be a professional effort to educate pilots (ESPECIALLY new FOs) on the dollars and cents of HOW SW makes more money in comparison to the competition. Its all nebulous now.

NOBODY (especially pilot-type personalities) likes to feel like they are being taken advantage of - and if thats happening and can be CLEARLY articulated and spread through education, you might be surprised. NOW you’ve got MY attention, and I’ll pass on the buffet line. How much is SW going to lose for every new FO that jumps ship later? Shareholders would like to know. Do mngmt’s job for them here.

The majority of these noob regional pilots have already learned to tune-out the union rhetoric (what a drag bruh)…and they just got a major QOL and $$$ bump by making their dream come true at the big leagues. The message has to be different.

Also, the complaints about FH?…guys, I can’t stand most lawyers either but its obvious you just need to hire a bigger/better firm to negotiate for you. Why bring a knife to a gunfight? “They are evil”. Thats probably what you say about your exwifes lawyer after she whooped you in court. Well, who got the money?……….. (cue the teamroper conspiracy theories).

Nobody is going to feel bad for a bunch of pilots who feel threatened, but aren’t going anywhere. Learn to compete and win respect within the system of what matters and play at the same level. The company would never negotiate with a vendor they respect in this manner. So step up your game. Don’t bring a knife. It would be better for pilots AND the business. These long “negotiations” are a HUGE waste of everyone’s energy which should be spent on beating the competition.

Who had more negotiating power in the end - T Brady, or Kaepernick? Brady got respect and got paid. Kaep is probably anonymously posting online now (although Tom might join him soon…ouch). The point remains.

Motivations are only: Share price for their team, and checkbook/QOL for the pilots. Not fear, anger, feelings, etc. Nobody cares.

I bet a pro could figure out what speaks to the 70% of tuned-out pilots, and the newhires. I bet they could also find what speaks to the shareholders for you.

Demonstrate to the analysts how taking your deal, and taking it fast, enhances value. Shareholders drive the business not management (sadly). Your energy should be there, for the benefit of everyone. (Telling Wall Street you want to get paid before them…well, its an “interesting” strategy.)

SWA could have yet another competitive advantage by getting deals done in 6 mos. or less, and would be bragging about their industry-leading pilot union on cnbc. Thats QOL right there. Attrition would be zero. They need a worthy/respected opponent/partner. You guys have to lead that horse to water.

I’ll check back in a few years and we can see how the current methods panned out. Its been a fun deep-dive, but I’m over it. All this contract talk is a drag…bruh.

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