You are right it probably is. But it seems that DHL wanted two more aircraft; and wanted them right now. AAWH has some more aircraft. Did you just expect them to give those aircraft to the Polar group to fly because you have been so nice and cooperative about the merger?
To me, the message here is clear. If the Polar pilots want access to the flying, get on with the merger. Simple. If they want to be marginalized and reduced to a four or five aircraft business unit with no flying other than minor Japan rights that go with the Polar certificate, then keep behaving the same way.
Like it or not, the company is going to merge the two pilot groups. If I were a pilot in the 50% smaller (actually way more than 50%) group, I would certainly be asking my MEC what the heck they thought they were doing. Wouldn't it be better for all of us to have access to all of the flying? To have an industry leading contract? To have a profitable company that focused on business instead of putting out the fires created by a recalcitrant pilot group?
The average Polar pilot should ask himself what benefit he personally gets out of the continued roadblocks to this merger. I think you will find the answer in the latest announcement by the company.