A few things,

The complexion of what? In 1995, according to UPS and the IPA there were approximately 110 FQS, now it seems like there are around 250 give or take. Is that what you are referring to when you say complexion? The number of them?

If it were me back in '88, I'd like to think I would have looked around to the other 50+ years of Airline/Pilot-Union history and thought to myself (who else has a structure like this?) and decided it was not a good idea from the get-go.

But that's just me, I wasn't there...

I've only met BM once, and very quick, I have flown with JS.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for both of them, and if you know me you'd know I don't say that very often.

So again, I wasn't there, better men than me were, they made the decisions they did based on the best available info (I assume) back in 1988.

I don't understand how they (or who) came to that conclusion in 1995-6 though...