Well said Conan. To the slightly unstable Beacon Outbound. As much as I normally dislike entering into a slanging match with someone whom I assume to be a fellow AOA member, here goes. If you feel that B-scalers are not represented by the AOA, then you must have previously dug a very big hole for your head and proceeded to stick it in there as far as possible. The B-scale representation on the committee is considerable. You will also find that the majority of AOA membership now consists mainly of B-scalers and has done so for some time now. The work, which the AOA president and his committee do behind the scenes, is enormous. If you were to take yourself down to the office and read the correspondence file occasionally, you would realize that a great deal of effort is expended on rebutting this management's persistent efforts to reduce not just the A-scaler overall remuneration package, but that of all its members. To name but a few, these matters range from hotel issues, through management's interpretation of commander's discretion, to rostering issues, housing, medical… and so on and so on… Although I agree with one point you made, that B-scale pay is an issue and deserves our attention, there is only so much that can be done at any one time. Many see the priority as being that of roster stability and achievable overtime thresholds. Successful resolution of this issue will bring benefits to all our members, irrespective of whether they are A-scale or B-scale.
The point I was trying to make, vis-à-vis the extendees, was that the U turn by management on this issue was not done as a self-initiated gesture of goodwill towards men, it was done as a result of quiet diplomacy behind the scenes; that work was done by men who spend numerous hours of their own time working for you and me. As a result, what has been achieved is that any extendee will do so on at least his present conditions of service. I regret that this will now include the present bunch of extendees, some of whom are not AOA members, but you can't have everything in life.
Finally, if you feel that you can achieve your industrial goals on your own, without the help of the AOA, then you are as naive as your post portrays you to be. If, as you say, you would achieve a 1% pay-rise by relinquishing your AOA membership, you would undoubtedly find this to be your last. It may be, to quote you, that there are many people out there who resent my attitude, but you may wish to consider the possibility that it is your attitude which is out of step with the majority.