High Iron said:Are you saying that if the same terms ( 53pct headcount cut/25.7 pct pay/take it or leave it, no negotiations of the terms ) were offered to the IAM at US, that the IAM would have accepted them...or should have accepted them?...or the membership would've gone along and voted yes to paring most of their own numbers?
I don't agree the "concessions are concessions" bent of your post, which I believe is disingenuous. What I mean is that you speak as though the "adapt or die" mantra takes a monolithic form or blueprint and that the "adapt" part takes the same form and same magnitude in all cases. No other carriers ( not exactly who's who of the white-hatters of the business world ) has demanded concessions of the magnitude that NWA has demanded of thier mechanics, nor made such a direct titanic frontal assault in eliminating their bargaining agent. Again, you cannot possibly believe you, or anyone else would react by "taking one for the team" and be a martyr for some brand of uber-capitalism, especially in this era of corporate malfeasance/greed.
I'd sure like to believe the latter part of your statement at face value, however I detected several overtones of what can be regarded as "restrained jubilation" ( Sorry for the Seinfeld rip-off ) as to their situation. I don't buy the "I support the troops/but not the war" argument as such a non-committal stance gives aid in comfort to the "enemy" all the same and makes one ask 'Who's side are you on?
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53 pct/25% pay......sounds just like U......

they either join the party or sleep with the dinosaurs......
hoo-ray for my side!