[QUOTE=ZapBrannigan;1815976]Back on topic - I'm not up to speed on labor relations.
What exactly does a mediator do to help both sides come to an agreement?
Facilitate realistic bargaining positions between parties.
What tactics do they use?
Varied among mediators I would assume.
How long does mediation typically last?
Anyone's guess at this point.
Under the railway labor act is there any incentive for management to sign a contract? Or does it benefit them to drag their feet indefinitely?
Yes, the answer is FULL retro pay.
Has an airline contract ever been born from mediation, or does it typically have to go to arbitration or the cooling off period before an agreement is ratified?
Yes, it has happened, mediation has sometimes born results.
Hopefully, an outside third party mediator from the NMB can shed some light on what current industry peer standards are with regard to: retirement compensation, reserve rules and to a lesser extent hourly pay.