Negotiations don't really start until one side or the other puts effective pressure on the other side. I remember hearing that IROPS triggering cancelled vacations caused quite a stir. Brand yellow got the restraining order for the fake work slowdown. SWAPA effectively gave SWA the bird after SWA made multiple ineffective attempts to intimidate the pilot group through furlough WARN notices right before Christmas, attempts to get force majeure wording and pay cuts pushed through, and multiple agreements to formalize status quo violations during negotiations. In each case, one side found a lever and used it. It didn't matter that for brand yellow, the restraining order worked against them in the end because both sides had to make significant compromises (big boy payscale vs. PBS is one example). The point is that until one side is able to effectively tip the scales with significant pressure, it's all just so much preparation of the battlefield.