If Northwest does not back off from the remaining open issues, then they can expect us to do what's necessary to defend our careers.

This regional jet flying issue is so crucial to our careers that any negotiated agreement that would lose any of that flying would be a significant setback for our pilots.

They have been doing some serious negotiating all night, I think they only had a few-hour break in the wee hours of the morning.

Hopefully, the extra time will allow us to reach an agreement, but in order for that to happen, management must stop overreaching. Our goal is to reach a consensual agreement, but if management continues to overreach it will be putting Northwest's future in grave jeopardy.

Progress has been slow but there has been progress. Negotiators are meeting around the clock.

It's a bitter pill to swallow. It's like a grieving process. First, there's feelings of anger and denial, and eventually, some pilots may reach that point of acceptance that this is a necessary sacrifice.

Under the Railway Labor Act, it is legal for us to strike, and we will fight it in a court of law, if the company chooses to contest that.