Hardliners take note: American is broke.

As I have been trying to explain to the "Just vote NO!" crowd for the last five months on this blog, things are not as rosey as they appear. How many times have I had to listen to the blubbering idiots say "Let's wait and see what American gets/They're up for a 30% raise/No WAY will they give up their retirement!" etc etc etc.
Well guess what. They'll take a 50% hit, get 20cents on the dollar for their old age, and watch as 25% of their staff gets cut and they shrink, shrink, shrink.
Stop. Don't gloat. This is bad new for us in several ways.
1. Our management looks at the lack of success of American pilots in obtaining "an industry leading contract" as inspiration for dealing hardline with us. Don't expect our management to waiver from now on.
2. American will flood the market with cheap seats. There goes our yield in competition markets ($99 to Chicago anybody?). Management will use this as a reason that a more expensive contract for us cannot be allowed.
3. There will, very soon, be many unemployed American pilots who will not blink at taking a seat at United (all you potential strikers take note)

As I have been trying to educate you: Things are getting worse. Had we accepted binding arbitration this would not have bothered us. Had we negotiated in good faith on management's opening offer, instead of dismissing it out of hand, we could have had a contract  by now, significantly better than the contract you work under at this moment.. But instead, we shoot for the moon and watch, as the the inexorable flow of bad economic news flows toward us, undermining our future. It is not over. It WILL continue.

You, the pilot majority, the representatives, if you read this: You are digging your own grave with this procrastination.
It is IMPERATIVE that WE GET THIS CONTRACT DONE.....NOW!