Thread by @ddayen

The UAW's selective strike strategy is new for UAW, but it's been very successful for one other union. So much so that they trademarked the practice.
That would be @afa_cwa's CHAOS strategy. 🧵

CHAOS stands for Creating Havoc Around Our System. It began at Alaska Airlines in 1993. There was a protracted strike with the flight attendants, despite the airline earning record profits. Negotiations had dragged on for 3 years.

Under the Railway Labor Act, the flight attendants' union had the authority to devise intermittent surprise strikes, walking off flights at the last minute.

In August of that year, three flight attendants walked off a flight at Sea-Tac Airport. Four days later, a flight in Las Vegas was subject to a walkout. A month later, five flights in the SF Bay Area were struck.

Because of the interconnected nature of air travel, striking one flight cascaded through Alaska's system, and caused, well, chaos.
Alaska tried to fire the 24 flight attendants involved, but a court ruled it was permitted activity.
Alaska then caved to the union's demands.

There's some of the interconnection we see in air travel in auto manufacturing. Certain plants produce certain parts, or engines, or do final assembly and paint. Striking one or a few randomly can mess up logistics and schedules.

If it works, thank your flight attendants. @afa_cwa @FlyingWithSara