MM, the NJ pilots don't have the luxury of waiting to make up their minds; the time for action is now--at the beginning of a long contract in an era of cooperation with the Company --timing doesn't get any better than this. I agree with everything Realityman has posted. You say you're worried about the "game plan" for labor; then it should concern you that the IBT doesn't even get on the field when frac issues come up. All the potential things you
think they could do for us can't stack up against the fact that they don't have the expertise, or even the motivation, to get involved. NJ pilots have talked to Teamster officials who don't even know who NJA is or that the pilots are in the IBT. That could be excused possibly,

but what about the fact that they surveyed members and didn't have "pilot" as a possible labor group for the NJ
pilot who got called?! :erm: That sums up their lack of interest quite well I think.
The decision is far from hasty. Pilots proposed it when we were leaving 284 and setting up 1108, but the timing wasn't right then. Obviously, the NJASAP leaders considered it carefully before sinking time and money into the decertification campaign. They read the pilot group correctly going by the way the cards poured in.
You ask good questions, MM, but I'm not sure they're even necessary. If you read the NJASAP website a lot of them would be answered and, as RM, points out, those that aren't can be voiced directly to the NJASAP Directors. As a leadership group they are visionary thinkers with ambition and concern for the industry. They've made themselves available for questions and can discuss their personal experiences in trying to get help from the Teamsters. A number of them (AV, ML, JB..off the top of my head) have posted on the subject in response to questions similar to yours. It seems that those of us posting on the thread with you aren't as bothered by the future because we've been following the discussion on the NJASAP board and reading up on the NJASAP plan. It's laid out and they take questions. Given your uncertainty it seems best for you to go
directly to the source for answers. I recommend starting with the Board positions and their duty descriptions. You should find the info on the VP in charge of Industry Affairs quite interesting.
http://njasap.com/library/bylaws.pdf
BTW, have you noticed that Bill Olsen resigned immediately from his position as EBoard President? He supports the NJASAP pilots and thinks the will of the pilot group should prevail. As the majority have already sent in their cards the direction they want to go seems clear. I don't see NJASAP as hasty; it is the next logical step for a group of professionals committed to superior representation for their members. NJW