It's a very difficult situation. We're trying to make the best of it, preserve the benefits pilots have earned and provide them a benefit in the future.
Our goal is a consensual agreement, but we're not willing to give management things it wants but does not really need. If management demands remain excessive we may be forced into a situation where we have no choice (but strike). There are limits to what employees will do.
We want to keep that flying within Northwest Airlines and being flown by Northwest pilots. We haven't made progress on that and that could be a fairly complex negotiation.
It's conceivable they could replace some (Northwest) flying and not violate the contract.
There are other components that increase the value of it beyond just the hourly pay rate cut.
We believe there is still some question regarding the need for that particular level of savings and there are many questions about how Northwest values some of the concessions they are demanding from pilots.
