I suspect Management and most west pilots saw the USAPA safety survey as the obvious precursor to an illegal work slowdown and the tired old negotiating tactic which has been proven over and over again to receive harsh reprimand from the courts. Do you think Americans should participate in a Taliban-authored survey entitled, "is America the Great Satin"? I say no, because you cannot trust that the survey instrument is properly constructed to remove any prejudicial bias on the part of the survey designer. Furthermore, who would really trust USAPA to tell the truth if the survey actually put the company operations in a neutral to favorable light. Isn't it far more likely that USAPA would ensure the results came out exactly as they intended, not matter what the pilots actually said? USAPA telegraphs their nefarious intentions well enough in advance for Management and west pilots to know to steer clear of their every move.
Management does put safety first. Not only is that "the right thing to do" for all who travel on US, but it is also the most fiscally responsible thing to do as well. However, Management and USAPA may not always agree on what is/is not safe. If USAPA could ever be trusted and sought to have a meaningful and honest bilateral relationship with Management, certain concerns would almost certainly be given more consideration in the normal give and take between labor and Management. However, USAPA's penchant to turn everything into a narcissistic adversarial relationship based on distrust, false accusations, and breach of duty means they rightfully get less respect than Rodney Dangerfield. Actions have consequences and USAPA's actions with regard to the NIC mean that they have no credibility or trust from anyone they sit across the table from.
