Originally Posted by BagMan

You are not wrong.

Part of our problem is our Union seems to give things away with a subtle expectation that relations will improve only to find out in negotiations that NONE of the things they intentionally gave away are getting them any credit. SJU is the example that comes to mind most recently. A more savy Union would have said " you want a base in SJU? we can talk about that IN THE NEW CONTRACT. WHICH WE HAVE BEEN NEGOIATING FOR SIX MONTHS NOW." There is always action behind the sceans that I won't know or understand ,but objectvely we can all look at the Union and say they are not bring home the bacon. I like the Union guys I meet I know they work hard, But if they can't put any points up on the score board does it really matter? The play by play monthly news letter makes it clear that the company does not want to spend any more. I am sure they are a bunch of underhanded basterds. What I can't see is that the company is somehow better at this then EVERY THING ELSE they do, Or how they are better then all the Legacies and Southwest and Alaska, and all of the regional carriers. It is not impossable but is it likely?

Inevitably some one will take what I said and say it is weakining our Union because of my lack of unwavering support. The reality is if I thought it would help I would be unwavering. I don't think that. I believe in Extream accountability ,and that Blind faith in anything leads to an ever deteroation status quo. I hope our guys can pull it together ,but we have no cards to play, there is nothing dragging them to the table. The only thing that brought them to the table last time was an inability to hire. Now with the never ending stream of Program pilots Strike Authorization is all we have. If that gets blocked we have no cards to play. We will be stuck at current pay rates for a long time.

So wear Your Strike Lanyards when we get them, but Also be ready to make changes to your LEC in the future. We can't just keep going around and around like this.