Divided

Congratulations Captain Heppner, you have now succesfully divided the workforce in your own selfifh quest to enhance your authority. IF you don't believe me, just look at the comments on the crew room denigrating Continental pilots for their "silence" in this matter. For those of you who don't get this, I request that you ask two questions:
1) Why NOW? Why did the international scope issue suddenly become important enough, NOW?
2) Why was Jay Pierce and the Continental group NOT CONSULTED? (We have this on good authority from their secretary treasurer)
It defies logical explanation, why one leader of a bipartisan workforce would unilaterally declare war on the opposition, unless..............it is a powerplay for absolute control. A gamble for power at the expense of the troops.
As of now, Heppner is in the driver's seat. Pierce is confronted with three options. He can:
1) Tell his guys "we didn't sign on for this, go to work if they (United legacy pilots) strike." Political suicide.
2) Honor the picket line WHICH HE HAD NO HAND IN CREATING. He is now Heppner's leiutenant.
3) Get on board before the deadline. He is now a camp follower.
Any way you slice it, this was a deft move by Heppner to gain power. There is only one problem with the plan as I see it: Heppner is gambling on not being released from mediation (no matter what rubbish to the contrary he is feeding his underlings) and if we ARE released, we have a fractured workforce in no shape to pull off a successful strike. Heppner's plan is to look tough and stir up a frenzy to mask the ineptitude and abject failure of his policies, while gaining the lead position at the table.
If anyone has a LOGICAL (not emotional) argument that disputes tis theory I would be glad to hear it. If all you have are angry epithets and mischaracterizations, save your breath, I don't have the time to babysit emotional cripples.