hahaha, 7 - 1 is such an epic beatdown at that stage in WC soccer, I don't even know how to put that in perspective. Maybe if Auburn beats Alabama 77 to 3 this year, that would come close.

I think this is exactly right. Given what we've seen with the Dickson memo and 117 negotiations, our MEC chairman should be writing a letter similar to this:

"...all indications are that C2015 negotiations are going to be very tough given our desires for an industry leading contract in all areas, and management's desire to keep us at an industry average. Therefore we must begin the preparations for an option we hope we won't have to use - a strike. If a strike is ultimately called for by our members, it's imperative that all our families are prepared for a pay interruption. With deadlocked negotiations possibly taking two years and another year before they begin, we all have about three years to begin saving for our family's emergency fund. We recommend a minimum of 9 months living expenses be saved. Hopefully management will be reasonable and see the value of having the best pilots in the industry, but we must be prepared if they're not..."

The fact that this is not happening right now, leads me to believe DALPA has no intention of pursuing our ultimate weapon. No matter what.

Carl

I don't think DALPA is reactionary Flamer. I'm convinced they feel as though they are true partners with management. DALPA thinks that's the best strategy to make timely incremental gains without damaging the partnership.

I don't know where Delta pilots are on this, but that's where DALPA is.

Carl

It's a good thing you're not the MEC Chairman, because I'd doubt the MEC Chairman's sanity for writing something so stupid, and out of order. Donatelli is rather well versed with strike preparations, and I think he probably has a much better sense of the pilot group than you do, partly because his communication style isn't "transmit-only". I'm pretty sure he knows when to pull certain levers. You don't stand up the group for no reason, and you don't stand them up prematurely, with nothing to do. When you do act, it's because management is legitimately stonewalling us, and pilot sentiment supports it, demands it really. At that point, the nervous Nellies are motivated to join, and the group moves in lockstep.

Your message already presupposes a failure to negotiate. I don't think we're going to get what we need early, or without a fight, but I think our leverage goes well beyond a strike. There is a lot of value in Delta being able to continue to sell the image of good labor relations. Your nonsensical approach would shatter that possibility, drop the value of an uninterrupted smooth operation to zero, and leave us both in defensive positions, for the long-term. It's the equivalent of going to marital counseling with your divorce lawyer.

I guess I wouldn't mind your premature ejaculation on this topic so much if you didn't take the gratuitous swipe of "no matter what", that same stupid label you used before to paint all South pilots as unwilling to strike. At any rate, when it comes to formulating a strategy for using the strike, I'll trust Donatelli to send the right letter at the right time.

Now that is funny!

A very good thing this guy is not the MEC Chairman. Occasionally we get a guy like this that writes a slick campaign flyer and finds himself elected as a rep. They quickly self destruct and marginalize themselves on the MEC. See Sam Derosa. Or they grow up real fast and transform themselves into a hard working and responsible reps, see Brian Craig.

The real curious aspect of these types is that they do not have a clue as to how far off the margin they are. Thankfully we have a great majority that sees things quite a bit differently. Spackler is a one way emotional hot air vent valve. Anyone with eyes can see that. Yet, he cant. Funny really.

Maybe I'm a marginal guy, but I agreed with just about everything Sam Derosa wrote, even with the benefit of hindsight.

Purple, you must be significantly younger than me if you can wait that long. I've only got 10-12 years left in this biz and am still a zip code seniority number. I cant' afford to waste 5 or 6 of those years parked in NMB limbo. While I agree with some of you in principle, we shouldn't be giving any concessions, I just don't see how under current law we can accomplish that.

Carl, your first two points were calm and reasoned. Then you had to get personal and accusatory. Your constant bombast and denigrating tone really turns some of us off. Without being an Equus africanus asinius, please explain how AMRs negotiations were different from our upcoming negotiations. Explain the remedy that NMB would provide us if management doesn't budge. Also explain why if we are the ones not budging, how would the NMB provide us with said remedy? NewKnow, I'd like you to answer this too, you seem to be able to have an intelligent debate.

And before anyone accuses me of being an ALPA stooge, I've not no affiliation with the union other than poking my rep every once in a while. I've been to a few meetings and even spent the whole first day of the Kingsley trail there because I was on a 717 vacation. I just fly airplanes, cut hay, and hunt deer and turkey. I can see APC hasn't changed while I've been gone. Is it CFB season yet? Can we get some cheerleader pics, please? Roll Tide!

I wasn't trying to be funny, just pointing out how ridiculous it would be to follow Carl's prescription in July of 2014.

There is some equally preposterous nonsense coming from the "no leverage" camp.

I'm with you scambo. I know Sam and agree with a lot of what he says. He's a pretty good guy from my limited experience.

https://leehamnews.files.wordpress.c...ne-chart-2.jpg

I img we will buy the dip.

But the European and Asia revenue declines are coming at a bad time for our Board (speculation).