The chances of MAG ALPA getting a good new contract any time soon is preeeety preeety slim.

Look at the opener from last year: the "expedited" talks that ended in abject failure.

Now, the company comes to us with this TA that has PBS integrated into it... NO. PBS was never to be a part of section six. The union made this clear during the negotiaiton of the GIR's that were on the table to which PBS was supposed to be a settlement.

The TA recently proffered was a complete insult with PBS anyhow. It would swtch us to a 12-month bid from 13 periods. Doing some simple math we find:

13 (X) 8 days off = 104; 70 hrs (min) (X) 13 = 1140
12 (X) 8 days off = 96; 70 hrs (min) (X) 12 = 840

WHAT???? Is this supposed to be a serious offer? A pay DECREASE and FEWER days off???

Ya know what I think, I think they are counting on the mass of newhires who are uneducated in the issues taking a bite out of a poisoned apple. What a joke; and yet we take it on the chin with no sabre rattling. What would the United pilots do? You can bet they'd be in the media making some kind of point or another about their management.