In addition to our reasonably good relationship with management, I think one of the keys to our successful contract negotiation was that management wanted to get all the loose ends tied up ASAP in order to facilitate bidding on other flying and to help get the corporate thing off the ground (they came to us with the $18/hr override, thats like getting paid as an XJT pilot AND a first year Skywest FO at the same time!). So I guess the key to a successful negotiation is for management to feel some urgency. I think the Mesaba guys had the right idea with their new contract where they continue to get across the board pay increases after the contract expires rather than just having the wage increases freeze when the contract expires.