Actually, the most contentious item is generally the last thing agreed to. It's the one both sides are least willing to compromise on... hence it ends up as the last thing to be settled.

If anyone on this board actually looked at the scope compromises that have occurred over the past twenty years, they would see a marked difference from what is commonly held belief. Remember - in 1989 DAL's scope clause permitted UNLIMITED 70 seaters. Unlimited. It wasn't until RJ's came along, that the mainline pilot groups started trying to put limitations on that. And it wasn't until BK, did it reverse course and increased RJ flying was permitted.