Sounds like you guys are learning the pleasures of being employed by His Most Holy Bryan Bedford.
No offense, but I hear that a lot from RAH/IBT guys.
"Wait until you have to deal with Bedford, or Hellar, or Osmundson, or..."
The truth of the matter is none of the above are particularly special, or unique in any way, shape or form.
Ask the jetblue guys, or airtran, or UAL, or CAL, or AA, or Alaska, or DAl, or NWA, or a even a few of the SWA guys that haven't had a frontal lobotomy.
Airline Management has a role to play, and while some play the role better than other, they are all the same.
Bedford and his crew are nothing special.
Again, don't take this the wrong way as it is not intended as an affront to any republic pilot, but I can see why the IBT wants everyone to believe that Hellar and the rest of them are superhuman-demons. How else could the IBT explain the fact that they get their arse handed to them on a regular basis. The IBT just can't get the job done.
Sorry for the thread drift but I just can't fathom the idea of contributing my union dues to the IBT. I am looking forward to the day when ALPA, IBT, and an Independent have their say in the impending Representation Drive.