I would beg to differ. While your contract has more money in it than ours, I can hold 17-19 days off a month.When I bid for vacation many times I can get at least 3 weeks off. Some more senior guys can get more, while the more junior guys get less. The question is what constitutes "QOL"? Is it time off, being put up in decent hotels, commutable trips, better pay, better health care for you and your family, longer vacation, better retirement, pass benefits, CIH and JR man refusals, days off for reservists, or all the above? Me personally I'm in the "all the above category". Something which the Mesaba contract is lacking and why I voted no on the last TA.

I can't speak for the other pilots, but I don't care where they put the money in our contract. For example, if they decided to give us an industry leading wage, I'll fund my own 401K. Better work rules, maybe we'll consider health care. Good work rules and I'll sacrifice a day or two off a month. Bottom line is I don't want to come out of this with less money in the contract than when we went into these negotiations.