I'm not calling their concerns illegitimate, heck I probably agree with most of them. Some people are way too happy to record everything and use it however they like, even suggesting the recordings should be used to to blame pilots (!).
They deserve to put forward their concerns regarding the use of the recordings. They may have to concede the point on the length of the recording though, that one is hard to justify if it impacts a legitimate and reasonable investigation. And if these recordings are abused then their length is not the most damaging aspect.
I don’t think it is constructive to say they “may have to concede”. I think it is more constructive to say a compromise must be reached. Some give and take will be required on all sides.
Their concerns require consideration to avoid the chilling effect on communication. If pilots aren’t on board with the changes the intended benefits may not be realized.
Pilots aren’t robots. You can’t dictate behavior to them. They’re human and intelligent, that makes the environment complex and delicate. The mutual trust from a blameless culture must be maintained. That means treating pilots with respect and listening to their concerns.
If the concern is retaliation (reasonable concern IMO) then pilots need stronger protection to alleviate that. They are probably most likely to trust those protections if they come from the union rather than FAA or the company who can then “alter the deal.”
They deserve to put forward their concerns regarding the use of the recordings. They may have to concede the point on the length of the recording though, that one is hard to justify if it impacts a legitimate and reasonable investigation. And if these recordings are abused then their length is not the most damaging aspect.