I'm being realistic. I think they can pay us better, but don't think they can pay wages and benefits comparable to UPS. For that I'm attacked. If they can, show us how. It's not enough to say they can. Is it true that they try to maximize profit? If the profit they have now is what they have after everything is paid for, how then will they pay for close to $2 billion in additional costs? If they have money in the bank, but only a billion in profit, then they will have to dip into that saved money to meet the union demands. Eventually they'll run out of their money in the bank. Then what?
I'm proposing instead of paying everyone who's worked 3 years $29hr plus great benefits, top people out at 10 years. Give them 50 cent raises annually until they reach 10 years then top them out. Keep the 7 payscales. Top out for the lowest $23hr, top for highest payscale $29hr. Give topped out employees a dollar raise every other year. And as topped out employees retire their higher pay will be offset by lower pay of newhires.
Have a more generous 401k. A more generous pension. Company paid medical for the employee.
You are wanting what took UPS drivers many years and 2 strikes to get. It's too much too fast and will bankrupt the company if they ever gave in, which they won't. I doubt they'll go for my suggestions either. But it at least has a chance of happening. I'm not a suck-up, I WANT BETTER PAY NOW!!! But I don't want to lose my job, or get laid off, or be turned into a part-timer due to their reacting to a union's demands. That's not fear, I'm trying to get from point A to point B. Almost there, but if I have to flip burgers it'll never happen.