Originally Posted by Lewbronski

AFAIK, AA never filed for mediation. Same with UA.

Delta did file for mediation. And they were close to three years into mediation when they got their deal. That’s well past the average time spent in mediation of cases handled by the NMB over the last few years. That means it was becoming more and more realistic that Delta could have been released from mediation. Delta posed a credible threat of legal self help to management.

Filing for mediation is the first real step in beginning to build leverage under the RLA. Without ever filing for mediation, there is absolutely zero credible threat of legal self help. If there’s no credible threat of legal self help, then if I were airline management, there wouldn’t be much incentive to play ball or not string out negotiations.

The pilots legally have to keep showing up for work and doing their job. If they attempt an illegal job action, management can potentially hobble the union via a crippling court-imposed fine like the $45M hit APA took back in 1999.

Outside of that, what’s left? Pickets? Frowny faces? I don’t know how compelling any of that is to management.