I don't envy those analysts that have to deal with the airline's finances day in and day out, nor do I pretend to even begin to understand all of the intricacies involved. I don't think we give these folks the credit they deserve - it is not their fault the numbers are not favorable and they certainly do not call the shots on how AA spends its cash or awards its bonuses. And although we don't want to admit it, the best way to get ourselves back what we gave up is to make sure this airline does not go further south. I don't think toying with the idea of a strike is the best way to do this.Unfortunately, there's just no trust by either side in the other. Management is frustrated with having to answer for every little thing to people who don't know the business very well. When I say management, I'm not just talking about Arpey...it's the Analyst in Finance who busts his/her butt everyday and sees how bad things are for a lot less than their friends make doing the same thing and every pilot/mechanic/flight attendant out there makes some snide remark about how useless they are yet couldn't explain the fundaments of anything the analyst does. For the workers, it's seeing things not working and hearing about a bonus with a quarterly loss. It's hearing about the industry in turmoil when you're 5 years from retirement and hoping you win the race.
The answer isn't as simple as one would like either. For managment to change to what the frontline people want would likely kill the company. For the front liners to change would get the union heads voted out of office.