It would certainly appear that one of the previous writers (John Galt) comments indicate a total lack of knowledge of the IBT process. Negotiations are done by the local, not the International, headed by Captain Bourne. Hence it would be Local 1224, headed by Joe Muckle, with assistance from his legal staff and the currently appointed Atlas representative who is in place until the membership elects their leadership.
That said, it would also appear that the writer has not availed himself of the information sent to crewmembers this week, in which Bourne and others met with the management of the airline and are working on options.
Anyone familiar with the Atlas CBA would know that the AABO situation has been a thorn for years and worked on by Bourne and his people to no avail because the AABO crewmembers are not covered by the RLA and are foreign contractors to Atlas. Consequently, there is little leverage to force the issue other than what was later agreed to; that no additonal hiring could occur at AABO or any other company the company envisioned offshore unless they were on the Atlas seniority list (read: junior)
It can be easily assumed that the management would have been willing to work a deal to let them go as their individual contracts expired. But given the extensive delays in the merger created by the other pilot group, the AABO people have stayed longer. Had a combined CBA been executed 2 years ago, the AABO types would likely have been gone by now. But given the cost and penalties imposed in the UK when those types of contracts are cancelled early, it's clear management decided to wait.
The real question is this: Will the Polar crewmembers have the courage of their convictions and refuse to join IBT and pay dues or will they stand up and refuse as a group?
What say they?