Read it. Of course a super-conservative think tank leaning libertarian is going to side on the company over the union. That's what conservatives do. They support big business and trickle down economics. Of course, most powerful conservatives are also the CEOs and/or majority shareholders in those businesses. Of course they don't want the little people (labor) to oppose discount labor. Tell me, how has the trickle down helped anyone in the middle class? Ninety percent of the gains have been made by the top 10% of wage-earners. I digress.

You just don't get it!! You, NOT ALPA signed up for the wages you are making!! ALPA just neg. wages that you vote on. You don't have to vote YES, you don't HAVE to go to work for a company that doesn't pay fair wages in your view!!! Please, for all the NAIVE posters on here please take RESPONSIBILITY for your actions and quit trying to blame somebody else for what you don't think is fair!! As far as the NAI argument please try to know the FACTS prior to posting!! ALPA is not against NAI they are just against them skirting around rules that ALL domestic carriers have to face! (i.e.- like taxes) Why do you think Apple has most of there profits booked in Ireland? Because, the Irish like the Iphone more? NO, Mcfly it's called TAX avoidance!! Why do you think Qutar Airlines is 100% GOVERNMENT owned? Because their Government likes airplanes? NO, it's so they can SUBSIDIZE IT!! Wake up people!! And to the original poster, is that avitar a current picture of you? ;) Because if it is, it explains a lot!! :o

CEIs history/funding aside, Libertarian or classically liberal does not equal conservative.

170k for a 787 captain? What do you think they would pay for a 737/A320? an E175? You can bet if they pay less then United on a 787 they won't pay more on anything else. I'm not talking just about NAI. If you open the door to flag of convenience, somebody will fly E175s and they won't pay F/Os a living wage either. Not that professional pilots should ever make "just" a living wage. There is a reason they want to skirt labor laws and it's not so they can pay you more to fly their airplanes.

Typically American libertarians tend to be more pro laissez-faire capitalism than socialism. I guess I should be careful when I generalize.

How about you and the rest of the 18,000 regional pilots do what we have already done....... interview and EARN your position at a major vs. having a job at a major handed to you. You are a perfect example of the entitlement generation at it's finest.

So you're saying all you mainliners earned those extra 5 years of flying, which in large part hampered the need for mainlines to open up the door for people who earned the right to interview at said mainlines? Did I get that right? Since when was being qualified for something greater considered an entitlement?

Now now. The "entitlement generation" as you call it may have been given a lot growing up (their parents fault) but the only thing they've gotten once they graduated was a recession and limping economy while be straddled with record debt. Their parents' generation has been greedy and essentially eating their young through unparalleled tuition hikes and people retiring later, and the devastation of the middle class. If there is an entitlement generation, it's the Baby Boomers who spoiled their kids rotten and, with an expanding economy, had numerous opportunities for advancement. Is it our fault that we saw how easy our parents had it and just want the same?

Having only been with the regionals a short time, I can't imagine why so many chose to endure this. Stagnation was pretty obvious over the last decade. Why not leave and do something else? Those just joining the regionals now are closer to upgrade than some who have been sticking it out for years.

If this thread represents the attitude, awareness, and knowledge of the issues affecting our profession, then sadly, our profession is lost. The future generation of pilots is inheriting a 100 year legacy of struggle and fights with the governments and airline bosses. To suggest handing over the richest consumer market to new entrants that don't have to play by the same rules as those imposed on incumbent carriers is misguided at best.

The arrogance to think foreign airlines, the likes of NAI will represent any kind of long-term industry-wide improvement to your pay, quality of life, retirement, or medical assistance is just laughable.

If you only want a cheap airline ticket on an airline with marginal infrastructure, the NAI's of the world may be the way to go. If on the other hand you're a pilot and want any semblance of a career, defeating NAI (and those that will follow) is the most important battle of your career.

The OP's man-boy tantrum is akin to "taking his ball and going home." But, when you get over yourselves, I hope you can man up an see the threat that's on your doorstep is a game changer, and you won't like the game.