FlyingSig said:
But it was ok for you to cause the layoff and financial strain to well over a thousand Comair employees when you wanted a big fat raise back during your strike? Talk about kettle calling the pot black.
When we went on strike our company had just been acquired by your company and was doing quite well. It still would be had your company not destroyed it along with yours. A very different scenario -- apples to oranges.
And what if the company immdiately does give in to us greedy DAL pilots? Why do you incinuate that would be a bad thing? After all, we're talking about a whole 4 days reveune that us greedy pilots want to keep to ourselves and our familys... oh yeah, maybe because if the company wins you might get some of "yours" back from your own concessions in the form of those "measly 9 seats".
No, I would NOT think it a bad think if they gave in to you any more than I would think it a bad thing if you gave in to them. I would think either decision pragmatic.
I know it would be a penny-wise and dollar-foolish thing if either one of you forces a 76-year-old company to shut down in order to satisfy your mutual egos.
Not too long ago you conceded over a billion dollars per year to help save your failing company. It was a bitter bill but an intelligent move. It would be stupid to destroy it now over less than 10 seats in an airframe you will never fly anyway.
We have not given up as much as you in percentage but our pilots have conceded more than 1/4 of what was already very minimal, in two separate concessions, for the same reason that you did; an effort to survive.
Whose fault it is, is not relavant at this point in time. Management's acceptance of 100% blame will NOT change reality. Why the battles were lost makes good conversation at the local pub, but it won't win the war. Destroying your airline will guarantee that you LOSE the war, and so will we.
I don't want to lose the war over a bad decision that you make any more than you would want to lose it over a bad decision that I make. That's just common sense.
I my opinion, it's a better decision to settle the dispute and live to fight another day; even if you can't tdo it "your way". Regardless of how immediately painful the settlement will be, losing everything forever will be even more painful and terminal. It is not smart to lose all the equity in your house because you know that bump in the mortgage rate is "unfair".
Sometimes we have to eat that ole S**t sandwich for a short time rather than eat Ramen noodles for a very long time. Those who can't palate the sandwich will not be prevented from eating Ramen if they prefer to do so.
While I admire hard bargaining it is also true that "you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em." Right now, you don't even have a pair and the enemy does have a flush. If you stay in the game, the time will come when you have a full house again and they only have a straight.
Emotional decisions don't win this game.