General,
I hate to see everyone bagging on you.
I don't think the fuel hedge person should be fired, no one can guess where fuel prices will go. If they had started going down before selling they would also have been in hot water. The whole point to the hedging is to sell them at some point. Its good to see a $100 million profit. Too bad the huge pilot retirements will suck it up before it hits the floor.
I get your point about not getting TAKEN in negotiations. But you have been taking the company on a ride since shortly after 9/11 with your current contract. Stories of managements debauchery do not mitigate this. Most management's will do that sort of thing, it is expected and you can't change it.
I wish you well General but there seems to be too few at Delta like you. All the arrogant socially challenged individuals who LOVE their fat paycheck want to keep it till the end. Delta pilots as a group may be financially aware but airline history lessons don't seem to be offered by DALPA.
The Eastern story ought to be in your DALPA magazine as a warning to all. The Braniff, TWA, and PanAm stories would also be helpful. Please don't tell me you are just "Better off" than UAL and USAir. Do you really want to be just "Better off" than the two basket cases in the airline industry, or do you want to be strong? By strong I mean buying big aircraft, not just RJs.