You make some valid points. Unfortunately, they are selective on who benefits when it's a good thing. Very reminiscent of what Polar's legal council says to Polar's benefit. I have heard of Mr. Katz, of the Polar legal council, saying the exact same thing. Of course, he is paid to come up with that.
Polar chooses to believe the company when they are the surviving carrier and not to when they are not, as is the case now. The company under the RLA gets to drive most of that unfortunately and not labor. That short and selective memory coming into play again by the Polar MEC. I hope the Polar membership doesn't fall into that.
Which also reinforces what you said:
It's all academic. At the end of the day, protect my job and show me the money.
Say and do anything at the end of the day. A tried and true practice on one side of the equation. Actually on two sides of this three way argument battle. I'll leave that to popular discussion.
This leads to the recent VARS by Bobb Henderson (Polar MEC Chairman of the Captains represented only Airline) saying the Atlas MEC are liars in his VARS 09/23/2007 Polar message. I have retained it for later record. Bobb (two b's) stated that the Atlas MEC had promulgated lies in favor of the company over the recent findings of the court rather than for the Polar union recently. In a 09/28/07 company response by Jim Cato (I hate quoting him, but he has a valid point on the timing and what the court said) the company confirmed that Bobb Henderson and the company both new of the outcome several days before Bobb Henderson's message calling the Atlas MEC liars on Sept 23. The verbal announcement to the parties of the decision with the written judgment to follow. Well, Bobb H. will say and do anything obviously. A lot of character there, which reflects his actions past and future. If your happy with it on the Polar side, then that says a lot also or confirms past actions.
Anyway, here is what I have on it in copy. Written up on at least the 20th and sent on the 26th. I can't attest to the verbal side dating of notification, which was prior to the 20th, but that is always followed by the paperwork in these cases.
Order Compelling Arbitration