I applaud your positive attitude and optimism, but I am not really holding out much hope that this is going to result in a TA that is going to be ratified by the rank and file. Management knows this, and in reality what leverage we thought that was in the hands of the negotiating committee is a myth. I really don't blame the 9E guys for being P-O'd by this latest insult of it being expedient to get a JCBA vs. getting their own deal done. No one wants the "S" word, but what is going to be left to do for those guys? And, for that matter where does that leave 9L and XJ standing? We are still the cheapest game in town that has a financially viable business, and all this talk of getting a TA done "or less we don't get more airplanes, flying, etc..." is a whole lot of horse dung.
I stand in support of the work that our negotiators have tried to accomplish, but to quote one of our managers in 2006 during the original ALPA drive at 9L, "All that is required is that we negotiate in good faith and it is going to take years to get a contract done". This is the scenario that is playing out before our very eyes. 9L: 3 years...NO contract, 9E: 5 years+ amenable contract, XJ: Concessionary contract. This is why over the years all the airlines that have had even the faintest association with NWA have had terrible labor relations. The "puddle-jumpers" have watched and learned how their "big brothers" at the old mainline dealt with their own miscreant employees. Look at the historical record, what is happening is nothing new.
In spite of my support, I am pretty disgusted with the whole bloody thing at this point and only my slavish devotion to professionalism and my fellow crewmembers keeps me going and positive.