Tan:
This is not a one sided issue, with good guys and bad guys, black and white issues (red/blue?).
I do not believe that the pilots are without vision. Like pilots anywhere ACPA members wanted new aircraft, more routes, growth, expansion, movement - but not at all costs. The message from Milton was to accept his terms, or else. The pilots took "or else".
The erosion of the contract has been continuous. Milton's own book gives insights into his thinking about the future of AC, and his feeling about pilots.
Milton threaten the pilots, plain and simple. Milton, the schoolyard bully, put the threat out there that unless the pilots signed on to the deal, he would pack up his bat and ball and go home. The pilots really had no choice either, to continue being beaten daily by the bully or finally take the presented opening and say "no". He got called on that last threat, and Milton had backed himself into a corner of his own creation. So he had no choice. The order was cancelled - at least as far as we know today.
IS that good management? Wouldn't a good manager leave a back door?
Milton asked for a lot, in the end too much from ONE (that is very important) employee group. Milton would be the hero if he had succeeded, and certainly that would NOT have been the end of the demands upon the pilots. Milton has made it clear that as far as he is concerned, it is war on the pilot group. That is his interpretation of the "new way of doing business", while speaking out of the other side of his face to the press about wanting a lovey-dovey relationship with the unions - and even despite putting Brewer in as a new front line general with a new propaganda campaign.
As it stands now, Milton is a bit of a lame duck. At the very least, he has lost some face in his necessary face-saving cancellation of the Boeing order. The necessary message to management has been sent. No more concesssions, and if that has not been heard, we are doomed into CCAA again.
Was this Boeing deal planned to fail? We'll see I guess.
edit -- PS - the seniority statements by AC to the press, and by the OAC group are self-serving.
AC is deflecting blame from a their incompetence, and a lousy offer onto the division within the pilot group.
The OAC pilots are attempting to put their agenda on the table, having failed at all other turns. I believe, as original AC (not part of OAC group) that the process has been skewed and biased within the CIRB and not living up to their own preachings BUT hijacking the ratification vote and the
PR is very desperate and not a good move.
The press in interpreting the "no" vote with seniority as the primary reason. That is not accurate, and has reflected badly on ACPA much to AC's pleasure. --end edit