I think a lot of you missed your calling as philosophers.
Everything most of you are saying is absolutely true. However, when a negotiating committee sits down to negotiate they have a huge list of things that they could potentially negotiate - pay rates obviouslly - vacation - scheduling - hotels - scope - base transfers - seat locks - training pay - retirement - travel benefits - displacements - furlough - etc - etc.
You only have a very finite amount of negotiating capital and when it comes down to it, you prioritize based on what would have the largest impact on the largest number of your members.
Let me put it to you this way - what would you be willing to not get/give up, and how far would you be willing to go (strike?) to get the first year pay up at YOUR CURRENT airline.
Later
Everything most of you are saying is absolutely true. However, when a negotiating committee sits down to negotiate they have a huge list of things that they could potentially negotiate - pay rates obviouslly - vacation - scheduling - hotels - scope - base transfers - seat locks - training pay - retirement - travel benefits - displacements - furlough - etc - etc.
You only have a very finite amount of negotiating capital and when it comes down to it, you prioritize based on what would have the largest impact on the largest number of your members.
Let me put it to you this way - what would you be willing to not get/give up, and how far would you be willing to go (strike?) to get the first year pay up at YOUR CURRENT airline.
Later