Certainly possible, Dave. That's the gamble. I tend to believe that this isn't an "at all costs" deal for the company. There is a number they are willing to pay for it, and I trust the negotiating committee has maximized it.

They've been managing fine without it for many months now, and they have options. But you could be right, and maybe they would come back to the table with more. That same theory was being voiced at DAL and SWA too. Thus far it hasn't been the case. (Not that I suggest either of those groups should have voted in the TA. They were horrible).

 

You're right, there is a limit the company is willing to pay. I'm confident the company has placed a value on every aspect of this extension and not just the multi year pay raise. I hope we have done the same due diligence and the information will be disseminated to the pilots.

The main difference between us and the aforementioned carriers is that we have something the company wants. If we didn't, we would not be talking about a contract extension.

 

I very much agree with you. We DO have something they want, and that is GREAT for us. In my mind it's giving us the opportunity to get some very substantial gains to our contract in the form of $$, fix of LOA 25, and no concessions. I trust the negotiating committee to have gotten the most out of the hand that we have, and I believe we have done pretty darned well here considering the company has operated without what they are seeking here for years.... minus 1 month back in Marchish where they had MOU 22 in place. And I DEFINITELY believe that they can and will do some things to "alleviate" the problem if it becomes too big. Unfortunately we have all seen them do it in the past.

I truly believe that a big piece of this puzzle is that Oscar wants to move the needle on labor relations and this is the way he's chosen to do it via the pilots. It's no accident that after 5 years of no action Jeff every major labor group has an improvement, early opener, TA, morritorum on concessionary contract sections within months of his arrival (Minus the LUAL flight attendants.... hopefully they join the gains soon). I know we are skeptical and for DAMNED good reasons after watching countless CEO's come and go, but I really do believe that this is a gesture, and it's one that we should cash in on. I've seen very few of these in my career here.

Lastly, I understand that you and I are coming from the same place. We both want what's best for the pilot group. We just have different opinions on what that is. And that's to be expected.

 

Maybe we will able to go back to the table, however unlikely??? I truly believe that if this extension fails, we will resume the timetable for Section 6. I think that the Company has definitely done a cost/benefit analysis and if we vote this down, I think that they'll just go to a Star Alliance partner to do what they need to be done. They'll do for the same reason that they have six short call reserves hanging around doing nothing, because the can! I'm not pushing for a vote, one way or the other. Just trying to be realistic...