Carl,

I think there is a pretty big silent majority out there in this pilot group that feels the way I do. I'm not one to rock the boat and be very vocal in an online format whether it is here or the DALPA webboards. How many pilots post on this board and the DALPA webboard combined......100.......200 even 300? That's such a small percentage of us now that I don't know if you can draw the conclusion you have from it. I don't really see the point of making my blood pressure rise discussing shoulda, coulda, woulda's. I don't want anyone junior to me moving up a number too soon!

During our C2K contract negotiations I really believe that the fDAL pilot group would have gone on strike if the need arose. I know there has been a lot of talk deriding things that happened during the negotiations such as emptying out our lockers etc. but I know I was prepared to walk out and everyone I talked to at the time was too. I don't remember what the strike vote percentage was but it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 97+ percent.

I believe the DAL chapter of ALPA has been very pragmatic and non emotional in it's approach to DAL management. The 'Hey it's nothing personal it's business attitude.' Because of this I believe that when push comes to shove the Union has/will have credibility with management and they will take us seriously. I know the arguments that we have rolled over on various issues that have arisen such as the 76 seat scope while we were in bankruptcy and then the number of permitted 76 seaters after bankruptcy. But the key words there are 'in bankruptcy' and our clout was seriously compromised at the time. Before anyone gets in an uproar, I didn't agree with it then and certainly don't now.

The big question now is our ablilty to negotiate under the RLA and whether we will have the capability to go on strike if we have to. We will have seriously diminished leverage if it is preordained by the government that we cannot strike. This is where national and our government contacts come into play. We'll just have to see what happens here. Personally I'm of the mind to "walk softly and carry a big stick." I'd rather go into negotiations with the attitude that either we get a fair contract or we're going on strike rather than go thru motions of a work slowdown or whatever else is dreamt up. Don't get me wrong, I'll do what it takes but the above is my preference. To me it's a clean and elegant strategy and avoids any lawsuit/injunction by management. Although any lawsuit/injunction they pursue will only seve to unify the pilot group more.

Anyway you now have an insight to my thought processes and why I don't normally get involved in some of the discussions in this thread and also why I think the way I do. Plus, alot of the discussions go completely over my head and/or make my brain hurt!! This is probably the longest post I've written and proofed so hopefully the spelling is correct but I can't attest to the grammer!!!

DennyCraaaaane!