Originally Posted by Lewbronski

For the umpteenth time, labor unions ARE NOT constrained by the pilot group's, the company's, or the mediator's perception of "industry standard." The RLA does not require us to demand rates or any other contractual items that are within X percent or within any other parameter of whatever anyone considers industry standard. That is a myth that harms us as a labor group negotiating under the RLA. You are perpetuating that myth with posts like this.

Like folks from other airlines have pointed out, you are trying to lay the blame for SWAPA failing to attain truly industry-leading rates or retro and various other items on the likes of Delta and Alaska. We are not bound by what they agreed to. Nowhere in the RLA or the RLA case law does such a requirement exist. If we vote to ratify a contract containing substandard terms, that is entirely and 100% on us. We can't point the finger at anyone else. We have the ability to raise the bar.

You can believe the reality that the courts who interpret the RLA have published in black and white about the way the RLA is actually applied in real life or you can put your faith in stories and "stuff" and rumors and opinions you have heard from who knows what sources with who knows what intentions.