If I ran an airline that was being struck, I would immediately announce that the contract with the union was null and void due to union breach, give the strikers 24 hours to return to work, and then start hiring permanent replacements.
And please make them pretty and friendly and gracious and smiling. You know, like they used to be back when air travel was still enjoyable. (sigh Yes, yes, I know...I'm ageing myself...)
Actually, striking because your contract had been voided in a bankruptcy proceeding is absolute grounds for the company hiring replacement workers.
Additionally, the union would most likely be held in contempt of court by the bankruptcy judge and fined daily.
This story is most likely a PR ploy by the union to gin up sympathy for the workers, and to put public "pressure" on the jusdge not to void the contract. It's a last ditch bargaining chip.
To be fair and balanced, the union's position on this would have one immediate benefit for the U.S. taxpayer...the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) which will pay off pension plan participants for pennies on the dollar, is already approximately $6 Billion in the red due to prior bankruptcy pension plan defaults. If 7 airlines all default on their pension plans, Congress will have to bail out the PBGC like it had to bail out the Savings & Loan industry.
Reagan80