Same difference. GK wanted something. He used "fear" to get it, with SWApA's full cooperation. SL10 was especially "frightening" for the SW guys, because had it gone to arbitration, many of the guys doing the fear mongering, errr, "negotiating" , would most likely have not gotten an upgrade out of the deal.
Look back at every "negotiation" between SWApA and the Co., going back well into the Herb era and you'll see it.
"Herb's bribe" is a great example. Instead of opening up our concessionary, 10 year(!) '94 contract at the 5 year point, we voted, a year early no less, to go the full 10 years. Even after "Herb's Bribe", and before the other majors negotiated record breaking pay rates, we were still amongst the lowest paid major pilots in the industry. The reason it was sold to "us" was the fear that somehow, Herb would rescind the stock options that we took in lieu of pay. These options were so unevenly distributed, that even Charles Ponzi would've felt guilty about it.
Most of the group would've fared far better with a reasonable pay raise, but the guys sitting on a potential million plus in options, many of whom, (surprise!), were also the ones doing the "negotiating", didn't want to upset that apple cart.
I could go on......
84% of "us" were manipulated into voting for what GK wanted for the SLI.
Forgive me if I am a bit skeptical when GK "threatens" us.
