I read most of your link although not in detail. A couple of things quickly come to mind:

1- no detail or data is given re your claim of diminished "air safety" etc

2- it would appear any salary negations should be the primary focus or your brother's union reps

3- you give neither salary nor responsibility info, only a reference to "...How do you imagine co-workers will interact in an office with people of equal qualifications and tenure, doing the same job, whose annual salary is up to $20,000 greater? Equal pay for equal work should be required by law. (Or is it already?)...". This happens all the time FOR NON-UNION JOBS. I have the same or better "qualifications and tenure" as many of the VP's in my company, but unfortunately my annual salary/bonus is about $200,000 less per annum (my source is the company annual report and my monthly pay stub).

4- the current price (10 Oct 2000) of a 1 oz FC USPS stamp is 33 cents

MisterNice