Originally Posted by Gone Flying

It seems to me the problem is not with the RLA but rather with mediators not recognizing an impasse. I was under the impression that if two parties did not agree after mediation that the mediator was supposed to release both sides to self help. In the last 15 years most airlines have worked under one expired contract or another for several years. To me it seems that the reason airlines have historically been able to get better contracts was because the mediators back then understood an impasse and would release both sides rather that let groups work for years under an expired CBA. I could be wrong, I have not been in aviation that long, so I do not know if that is actually the case