Originally Posted by
oncea57cap
Anyone find it odd that management is suddenly so agreeable to our terms and wants to expedite the JCBA and give us a contract in record time. By doing this we are getting into a long term contract at the bottom of a business cycle, where everything including the job market looks bleak. What's the rush? Most economists agree that the second half of the year will be weak and real growth won't come until 2011 and 2012. Management is well aware of this and wants to tie us into a contract that we will have to honor. They will say, "well you guys willingly signed it" as we signed away our lives on the last two contracts. It will be easy to want to agree to a sizable pay raise, especially so soon, but in the long term it will be a slap in the face and truly disastrous. Mark my words. If this sounds crazy, history is the proof.
Totally disagree, Cap. Management wants this for a variety of reasons and our leverage right now is possibly as good as many of us will see for the rest of our careers. The industry is in an up cycle, we've got a favorable NMB, and management is under pressure to get this done soon. Don't get me wrong, they won't roll over and give us anything we don't fight for and I don't see it getting done in the next couple of months, but the time is now for a real contract.