You guys hit the nail on the head. A full page ad in the Wall Street Journal would scare Wall Street investors and our diamond/platinum flyers.

Heres an example (full page ad in the biggest font that will allow)

"Would you put your family on an airplane knowing the pilots were not safe to fly? We, the Delta Pilots voted down a contract that would have intimidated us into flying sick and fatigued, putting you and your family at risk.

We value your safety. Apparently, Delta executives do not. Let them know you stand with us.

Paid for by the Air Line Pilots Association"

Jimmy Johnson says: "Now is the time to use the full extent of the Railway Labor Act."

Doesn't that include the right to strike? When will that be?

And let's not forget the rat, we can inflate a rat. That will certainly rattle their cage.

Nice one Falc, as my good friend Buddy Rydell says, "sarcasm is anger's ugly cousin!!"

The rat is whatever, but media campaigns work. A WSJ ad will spark a lot of conversation. Lets try it. One ad in the paper is fairly cheap, watch what kind of reaction it gets. I guarantee you'll have business travelers coming up to you asking if they should start booking on other airlines... Ive already been asked that and we haven't even publicly done anything.

Who's talking about a strike. That's like asking Jim Mora about the playoffs :) We have a lot of tools at our disposal. Informational picketing for example. The minute we start picketing outside the airport is the minute our JD Power hopes and dreams go out the window, and RA and EB's metrics bonuses. You can make very big things happen, we just haven't chosen to go that route yet because of this amicable relationship the previous MEC was trying to needlessly maintain.

Does the question indicate you're willing to strike and honor a picket line? The RLA requires the continuation of the contract beyond the amendable date we have levers to increase our compensation during this time, for the first time ever.

You mean RAT L their cage. It is an attention grabber. The media will take an interest in a giant inflatable rat and ask about it. It is effective whether you belittle it or not.

OK, negotiating in the media can be good. DAL can do that as well and I usually don't like it. IF we stated that DAL was trying to "intimidate us to fly when sick…. or fatigued" (incidentally I've called flights for both reasons and never even got a phone call) they would sue DALPA in a split instant for slander. And we would lose. OFG

You can state the truth of the TA sick change without being slanderous. The media is the last thing management want involved because that publicity will put a big question mark over the debt rating and stock price. The only thing they care about as far as the media is concerned is can they control the message.

The 3B4 circumvention says they don't respect the pilots or our contract. That action alone speaks loudly, do you still think you are respected when SD and others say what a great pilot you are?