I've not been around here very long but I'm certainly no longer under any delusion. They did a great job sucking me up with propaganda when I had other choices. I'm still super happy to be here, though I'm assured I would have chosen differently, but at least now I know who I work for. A top tier airline, but it's just another top tier airline. For guys that have choices in the future. I think the decision will be much easier for them.

I've been around a while. I was disabused of the idea of a magical Santa Claus named Herb and all that goes along with it within weeks of arriving. It took a while longer for it to sink in that I'd bought into a cult. It was "nuts" to ever believe any of it.

Come on, guys! You missed the most important part of Gary's email: "These are our Family Members, who we love."

Right...

That statement stood out to me also. Speach writer should have left that out. It was a silly thing to say.

you are joking right? You are one of those people who hold near and dear that status of Southwest never has furloughed?

Omg dude. Are you serious????

No, I've never bought into it. But do you realize how many people do? Just read some of the threads on this forum. People mention that part of or a lot of what drove them here was the idea of job security. I can't tell you how many guys have told me the same thing over the years. I also can't tell you how many people over the years have rationalized voting "YES!" on another inane side letter that either hurt us or didn't get us anything for giving something up because this company has got our backs. The evidence? They've never furloughed.

The fact that, up until now, SWA has never furloughed (people forget about that time back in the 70's), has allowed SWA to soak this pilot group for billions of dollars since 1971 because guys here were willing to accept sub-standard wages, retirement, and benefits owing partly or mostly to the idea that the corporation is a benevolent entity who would never furlough a member of our big culty family.

Now that they've tossed that whole facade aside, hopefully the sleeping kool aid drinkers will wake up.

GK said he would give them more time to negotiate, but since they refused any concessions, he went straight to warn’s.

Don’t be emotionally invested in your employer ever. It’s a business partnership for both sides. I became a much happier person when I figured this out. People who think this is a marriage or a love affair are delusional and miserable to fly with when they figure out it’s neither.

Exactly. Well said.

They’re just the bastard stepchildren. The family members who matter most are the shareholders. They’re like the hot trophy wife who gets the new Range Rover and the boob job even though daddy had to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.