Because the company I work for already has an unsustainable business model based on how much it costs them vs. how much their customer(s) compensate them.

ASA is losing money.

Yah, they can cut costs elsewhere in the operation to bring costs in line with earnings...but there's only so much more expensive the labor can get before it becomes too expensive for the business model to work.

I expect a raise. I expect this next contract to be more expensive than the last.

I simply recognize that there are limits.

Yes, this is the first time I've gone through this. No, I'm not young or aspiring.

I don't see our pay as being that far off...I want modest pay increases and substantial improvements to work rules. I'll vote for a contract that raises my pay and incentivizes the company to use crews more efficiently and jerk us around less and tightens up some of the scheduling/PBS language.

'burning it down' sounds like something my 4 year old does at bed time.