My Humble Opinion...
A 52 year old NWA 747-400 Captain referencing the youth barrier and age distortion problem at Delta Air Lines...now that's funny, I don't care who you are. I hope CS is available to testify at the arbitration hearings. We shouldn't need anyone else to support the DAL position.
1000 NWA pilots to retire early...really. I've never met a pilot yet willing to leave a nickel on the table, especially with 500 new airplanes, 5 new bases, and hundreds of new destinations from which to choose. I think a few might just hang around for a while to see what develops... and for each 1 that retires, a NWA pilot still moves up 1 number, just as before the merger.
DOH. I move from 11% to 21% while my NWA counterpart moves from 36% to 21%. No no no no...
Fences??? How long would you like to be trapped on those DisappearingC9s? You might get a little restless as you look south thru the chain link.
DALPA/Delta put NWA pilots on a 'B' scale/sold you out. I don't think so. We don't negotiate for you. You don't work here, yet. Don't forget, you're holding out for DOH, which didn't cost you a penny until LOA 19 reared it's ugly head. What are your negotiators doing? Time is money now.
If I could get up the morning after the merger and buckle into the same seat as the day before, for more money at the same relative seniority I'd be relieved. In fact that's what I plan on doing.
Your ALPA brother, not your whipping boy...