As a XJ pilot, a small pay raise would be a big pay raise for everyone else. It will be very hard to convince the XJ pilots to take a small raise on a concessionary contract. I think the best thing would be a small raise for a 1 or 2 year deal with 2.5% kickers for every year after the contract expires that we do not have a new contract.
Let Pinnacle merge the airlines and we get some good contractual gains. Then when things settle down, go right back into negotiations with guaranteed raises every year there after.
Just think if 9E had the kickers that are in the XJ contract.....you all would be making 10% more than you are now and you still would be negotiating an even better deal.