Or consider this.....as professional aviators we are trained to operate appropriately for the condition we are operating under. For the last few months the working environment at this airline have deteriorated considerably. So, if like me you have not participated in an illegal slowdown, you might decide that with the current environment you need to be very careful.
Unlike the Nirvana you enjoy with UA/CO, this place is in civil war. You see it right in front of you on this board. What you haven't seen is the former AWA MEC chairman asking Doug how to write up east crews. You haven't seen a west pilot look into a camera and say "WE HATE YOU GUYS!" You missed the foaming at the mouth "distance learning" crew news. We have to watch our back everyday with our west co-workers and the FAA, and now it looks like we do with the company too, lest innocent guys get caught up in the web.
Look, I agree with you. This does certainly put innocent guys in the cross hairs. But to that I respond that it is a result of the actions of USAPA, and by association, the east pilots. We have been living this since our injunction. One pilot was fired and several others given time off without pay, which was grieved and in the end guys were made whole again after being put through the ringer. But the injunction makes it very hard for a union to do anything but negotiate until they are released by the NMB. In UA's case, there were no damages sought. But whenever sick leave use ticks up just slightly, we are reminded of the injunction. In your case, the company might very well seek damages, and then use a ruling to negotiate an end to a stalemate. Look what happened to AA. When they were fined for their sick-out, it would have bankrupted them. I don't remember the final settlement, but they got out of much of it, for a price.
Let's say they win even a $100Million judgement. They could say, accept the Nic, here's our best offer for all other sections. Take it or leave it. If you leave it, we continue on this path, but you (the east only) will be assessed to pay the $100M.
I don't doubt that the west pilots "hate" you guys as you describe. I don't envy you being in that position of looking over your shoulder. But after enduring years of RICO suits and attempted terminations due to withholding dues, and more attacks for alleged identity theft, terminating all negotiations on the west's contract, not to mention going back on an agreement (binding arbitration), I can't exactly blame them. I'd be out for blood too if I were in their shoes. Through all the chest thumping, in the end USAPA has only made things worse and worse for you guys. Not better as they have promised.
I know, I know, separate ops, attrition train and all. It's all worth it. Even LOA 93 is worth it to keep one damn newb west pilot out of the left seat before an 18 year furloughee. But is it REALLY? If you say yes, then you can't complain about the innocent guys who get caught in the web. If you say no, then maybe it's time for the potential innocent victims to start undoing the web USAPA has spun.
I wonder how many years it would take a new US captain on LOA93 to make back the money lost already in the form of a pay raise work rules, and union dues, just to get to a break even point. It has to be a few years. Maybe the time he would have been delayed had the nic and a contract happened years ago. Not to mention the many pilots who were no where near a left seat anyway. The only ones I see who have benefited from this debacle are the furloughed east pilots, and those whose ego is bigger than their common sense.
