Originally Posted by Rock

Most of the contract had already been TA’d by April and negotiated during COVID (positive conditions for us as we were significantly undermanned as evidenced by almost unlimited extra flying, AVA and vacation buybacks). That was leverage in our favor. Then we entered federal mediation which, by design, puts pressure on both sides to negotiate in good faith. That produced a full TA that both sides agreed to and our MEC approved in a 13-1 vote. That TA was not ratified and we won’t know until after Labor Day what the NMB proposes with respect to new negotiations. In the meantime, economic conditions in the cargo industry continue to deteriorate. If that trend continues, we will remain overmanned. Until the economic environment for air cargo recovers, the company has much less incentive to add money to an agreement it already signed. Our only option is self help, which would probably result in arbitration. If you think that’s going to go our way, realize the House recently approved age 67 with a vote of 351-69 despite ALPA campaigning heavily against it.