A re-vote makes no sense unless the terms of the TA were sweetened (More money, better QOL provisions) and that ain't happening. If the current TA was voted down, then what makes anyone think the outcome would be any different the second time around? If a re-vote occurred and it was again rejected, would people be asking for a third vote on the same TA?
Votes have consequences, and the consequences of this vote were clearly laid out by the APFA before the voting even began. The consequences were repeated by the APFA board and other observers. Accept this TA or we go to arbitration where we'll get less.
Yes, I realize that it's possible that a re-vote would turn out differently (no-voters would see the light and vote "yes," abstaining voters would vote "yes," etc) but the ratification process doesn't provide for "send it out again until it passes."
As anti-democracy as this may sound, perhaps in situations like this, the board of directors should simply ratify the TA without polling all the members. Like our representative democracy at the federal and state levels where the Congress and the state legislatures make most of the decisions without holding a vote of all the citizens.
In normal section 6 negotiations, where a rejected TA can be renegotiated and improved and then sent out again for ratification, in this setting, we all knew the two possible outcomes: Either accept the TA or get less in arbitration. Giving everyone a vote merely invited the disgruntled (and/or ignorant) to reject it, forcing everyone to get less. $400 million less over the life of the contract. IMO, it wouldn't have been the worst thing if the board had simply said "We agreed with management on the TA which will be worth $81 million (or $83 million or whatever the number is) more than the alternative. You're welcome."
Probably not a popular idea, however. When the TWU accepted a contract "without further ratification," more than a decade ago, some of the members went ballistic. Not enough of them to throw the bums out, but it caused some deep-seated anger that continues to this day.
