Here’s the last three mediated sessions.

AUS 11/7-11/9
SAT 11/14-11/16
DCA 11/28-11/30

If there’s no deal by Nov 30th, one of three things can happen.

• Agree to continue negotiating
• An impasse is declared and we are released from mediation
• Mediator puts us “on ice” or forces a break from mediated talks for some period of time

With the company making meaningful moves towards SWAPA’s position for the last couple of months, it seems unlikely that the mediator will declare an impasse. (My opinion only)

The big spoiler may be whether the government stays open past the deadline of November 17th. If congress can’t agree to a budget or a continuing resolution, the govt shuts down, including the NMB. That means no further mediated sessions until it opens up again. SWA and SWAPA could continue to negotiate without them, but who is to say that’s what SWA wants? They may say “no thanks, we’ll talk to you after the NMB comes back to work”, or they may want to wrap it up. Only they know what their timeline and goals really are.