The rejected TA was a failure across the board.

As you respond to the phone survey questions please keep in mind:

Jet fuel today is $1.46 and falling.

This is $1.76 less than the 2013 peak of $3.22.

Each penny represents a $40 million dollar annual fuel expense savings to Detla.

$1.76 X $40 million is $7 BILLION PER YEAR.

As the dollar continues to strengthen it will drive oil prices into the $30s and perhaps the high $20s.

Management negotiators destroyed our negotiating team. Plain and simple. Do not let them lower your expectations.

We need a minimum of an ADDITIONAL $250 million per year.

Together we will not fail. Together we will attain the "historic" C2015 we so richly deserve.

Of course to play devil's advocate here, our profit sharing was at it's maximum value with C15 TA-1. When jet fuel goes back up, it will not have the value it does right now.

Talk among yourselves... as usual.

Oil prices collapsed today, with Brent crude falling to a 6 month low below $50/barrel. US crude down 3.7% to $45, and US gasoline fell it's most in a single day in 10 months. The gasoline crack (ie. the spread between crude/gas prices) narrowed to a new low below $26. The March lows of $42 will very likely be exceeded. Technically, $32 is now a viable price target. OPEC output remains at record levels as it tries to protect market share vs. prices in it's battle with US producers. Meanwhile, thanks to Obama, sanctions against the Iranians will be lifted allowing the Iranians to further flood the market will oil (and they will because the Assohotollah needs the dough).

Your predictive skills have been proven to be worthless. Remember that.

If I am one of the privileged to receive a polling phone call, I won't answer any NH area code calls. After taking nearly one full day of my time to put my thoughts into the poll for C15, our MEC tosses me a dud, and hard sells it to boot. I'm all polled out for C15. Gzsg, don't worry, I am on board with your thoughts above. When our MEC decided not to approve the TA, and instead just send it to us to approve, my price tag just went up considerably. If, as my former PEB preaching MEC chairman said, that's the best offer you're going to get, so be it. I'll enjoy my PS checks for the next few years, along with my current sick leave, scope and lca drops, among other contract provisions. The company is obviously in a pretty tight position with the current retirement/hiring and training scenario. Every year that passes, it only gets worse. When it gets too much for their liking, they'll be back to talk.

Why is management so eager to get a contract done? Retirements are often cited but the legacies will never have trouble hiring.

What economic factors are you basing rising fuel costs on?

Great post. Time is clearly on our side.

If it is not the right deal, we can wind the watch for as long as it takes.

My wife got me a Breitling watch for my 40th. It's a nice watch, but I have to wind it every few days. I wind that thing routinely, every few days. Winding the watch on this contract, with PS for the next few years, will be a cake walk! You're right J, and you've been an advocate for us throughout this whole process. I'm optimistic that the tide has turned on the status quo Dalpa has embraced. My eyes have been opened by the way that Dalpa produced, debated and sold this TA to the pilot group. My frustration with that process has motivated me to get involved in any way I can with the recall of all 4 C44 reps. The sooner they get back to the line, the better!

Yeah, you're right. Jet fuel will always go down in costs.

So I should short fuel futures then?

Another 'strong alpa unionist' using commodity pricing to set the threshold of self worth and value for services.

Is it any wonder we ended up where we are?

Maybe we should insert an oil price bias into the pay rate formula.