Originally Posted by Confirmedat20

Allright everyone take a step back and quit looking at the tree and let's start looking at the forest.

-First, the company wants the flex line value, but the union wants Cola's and early retirements. The company REALLY REALLY wants flex line values, the union says no. Whammo! more furloughs and downgrades.
Remember, the company has to offer a very attractive package with all the trimmings to get the senior guys to take early ret. Ergo, the early ret. won't save them that much. Also, by using flex line values, they have the flexibility (oooh there's a semblance!) to raise and lower it while keeping everyone staffed. Is that the only solution? No, of course not. But our union seems to be playing this all or nothing mentality.

- This dovetail's to my next point, that 90 going to Mesaba is a warning shot. The higher ups at Delta are not pleased with the dismissal (nor am I) of the ASAP program. To just throw away an invaluable resource of safety to prove a point is reckless and Atlanta sees it as such. I don't necessary disagree with the unions view of the incident in question, just their actions. This "I'm going to take my ball and go home" mentality has got to end. To throw 1400 pilots to the wind to prove a point is just wrong.

This ship is not sinking, but it has sprung a leak. We can still plug it up, but it will take negotiations, give and take, adjusting to the national economic situation, picking our battles, use the proper arsenal, the right tool for the right job...

Oh yeah, and an ounce of common sense won't hurt either.

My two cents...a penny's worth anyway.