Everyone's views on the relative merits (or lack thereof) of the union's or the company's positions are interesting, but not really what I (the OP) had asked about.

I'm looking for informed speculation on the timing of a potential strike IF one occurs

Okay, just heard today that absolutely no earlier than June 30th, no matter what. NolaNWGold had that one on the money.


Can anyone give a synopsis of where the AMFA is?

Steve, I'll give you the Cliff's Notes version. AMFA initially went on strike because they wee basically forced to. About a year before their contract was due for negotiations, NW started hiring replacements secretly and kept them stashed away in hotel rooms in Phoenix. They (NW) were obviously expective a tough time with AMFA, this was one group of unified guys (and girls), some say bordering on militant. Anyway when the company made it's proposal at the bargaining table, (40% paycuts and 50% reduction in force), it was so unacceptable, AMFA had no choice but to strike. In come the replacements, and that was the end of what we knew as AMFA. Technically the strike is still active, but it's quite the lost cause, just as NW engineered it to be. I always strive to stay factual when explaining things, but I have to say that it was all about union busting. Everybody knew it. They would be doing the same to us (FA's) but things are different in bankruptcy. As for the actual guys who were AMFA, many of them have moved on. Our mechanics were the best in the industry, bar none, and they were snapped up fast. Others have crossed the picket line and come back to NWA, last I heard around 700 or so. They were 4000 at the time of the strike.

As for the replacements, most of the original hires are gone. Fired, quit or whatever. They work without a contract because they are not unionized. Ironically enough, quite recently the IAM (baggage handlers union) was courting them to unionize. I found that hilarious. Hopefully my diatribe answered all your questions!