They have come in with their bottom line,that being less than nothing

Black Press, through a recent editorial made the following statement:

 “This fight was not unexpected. We have a government and union leadership unwilling to budge.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this and I think it needs to be cleared up.

It isn’t the union or its leadership that is unwilling to budge.  The union bargaining team fully expects to budge.  We put forward our proposals and we get no counter proposals.  Are we expected to bargain with ourselves?  Should we be thinking, “They didn’t respond with a counter proposal, so we should move a little closer to their sub zero mandate?”  How is that bargaining?

Clearly, it isn’t bargaining.

It is the government (through their bargaining agent, BCPSEA) who refuses to budge.  They have come in with their bottom line, that being less than nothing and they are sticking to it.  Mr. Abbott even indicated that several times during news interviews. 

The only way for bargaining to occur, is for both sides being willing to “budge.”  It’s time for the government to change their mandate and allow BCPSEA to have that “budging” room.