I have plenty of friends at XJT and Eagle who called me in the last 2 months wanting to know if we're still hiring at 9E...because the XJT guys were worried about shutting down (a threat which is over for now) and the Eagle guys are worried about getting furloughed (a very real possibility).

As for our contract negotiations, I think a 99% strike vote and a labor-friendly President are a better bet in the current environment than a safety campaign...and even though ASA has great rates now, I'm not sure how they're gonna fare post-merger...precisely because they have great rates.

Survive through the merger, then get a new NMB, then go on a safety campaign or strike...that seems the most logical order of things to do right now. Go ahead and say I'm "contributing to the downward spiral."