Very few of USAOA's gains have anything to do with first world labour laws. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the D&G procedure, called a system board of adjustment in the US.
Items not required for CX to agree by US law...
- RP07 which is light years better than any RP policy
- Medical in the contract and grandfathered as is for current officers
- 2 or 3 annual pay raises, especially significant for CoS08 FOs which ends with all FOs on the same payscale, yet none take a paycut by my understanding.
- PD credit from home residence for commuters
- First class seating on flights over three hours on AA, AS, and DL; in exchange for freighter PX which many want to do anyways to get home sooner
- "Agency shop" requiring non-members to pay the Union for its services; no freeloading
- Online learning credit, how much do we get?
- Proper A day which facilitates a commute longer than Kelowna to Vancouver
- Proper tax sheltered retirement plan
You think all that is worthless? You think all that is required by US law? Better get your facts straight. You think USAOA voted 98% in favor because it's a bad deal? When is the last time HKAOA ever showed that level of unity?
On the JFK basing, I don't see it as a EFP sellout. I see it as a lifestyle pilot's wet dream. Five trips every two months? I'd do that for no EFP too. Sure, you might do 96 one month, half of it in the bunk; but the next month you are only flying two trips, and there are protections in that LOU which prevent work stacking and excessive regional flying. I see the whole arrangement as smart. JFK flying is logistically different than LAX or SFO, and all those regional sectors that could make it like YYZ get soaked up by HK crews doing training.