This is not just about 9E anymore.

Y'all have waited this long, why not give our joint MEC a chance to make this happen.

It seems its just those two sections for mon and tues and everyone else comes in on wed to negotiate everthing else. Still plenty of work to do.

Take what just happened twice (2 extensions) about 10 more times, and that's the last 3 years at 9E...

Would you be as positive or willing to accept further extensions?

I think not.

This pilot group tears further and further apart with each failed session, and each extension of negotiations. I don't want to see our pilot group fracture or fragment any more, but it seems to be the trend...the company knows this--every time we extend, they win, and we become further divided.

What has to happen in order for 9E to be released to strike? Did being put on ice for all this merger stuff put you back at square one? Is your MEC still doing the background work to get a release?

You've got a lot to learn.

Don't we all

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.

Why did we agree to extend the negotiations? I thought we knew better and werent going to extend them again. Regardless of "how close" we are or "how much progress" has been made why do we keep doing this? How many times are we going to go through this? I thought higney mentioned this as well. If the company wanted I done, it would have been done. Mgmt is stalling so we don't make them or delta look bad. Unbelievable, wake up people....

Bingo...why do we keep returning like we are little babies looking for candy. All this time we have been dealing with 9E management when we could be dealing with the NMB to get released. Or maybe you Union guys like getting your Union check...so maybe you like dragging this crap out as long as you can too!!!

Guys- there will be an update out tonight and a all pilot call Monday. All of this will be explained Monday to everyone in detail and rebroadcasted on the website shortly thereafter for those who miss the call. To think we are going to just sit back is FAR from the plan. After 6 years of talks everyone is mad and the MEC is livid.