So, it wasn't the Prime Minister across the table - but the usual team of Deputy PM Cordel Hyde, Education Minister Francis Fonseca and Public Service Minister Henry Charles Usher.
And, they are the ones who had to hold things together - when talks tuned contentious - forcing what we are told was a near union walkout. That led to a meeting at the nearby Wesley basketball court - where firebrand Dean Flowers led the charge:
Striding in with a blue tipped bukkut - Dean Flowers fed off the chants of "no more bukkut".
He was charged up because the talks had almost broken down:
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU "The talks this morning almost broke down and that's why we didn't get far and I want to be clear on that, the talks this morning almost broke down because of the nonsense that was on TV last night where by people were being threatened. I'm pleased to report that under the good leadership of the 3 ministers there today, we were able to get their commitment that the victimization stops and it stops now. There are some serious inhumane decisions that were taking in the ministry of health, I can tell you transfer letters contrary to the public service regulations were issued this week and those will be revisited and some of them will be reversed if they are found in breach of the public service regulations, it has to be reversed, we cannot allow supervisors and CEOs and ministers to think that they can circumvent the law and attack people for exercising their rights."
Jules Vasquez "There's an attorney in the public service who had offered to give you all technical assistance I'm told and then suddenly she is blocked out of her ministry email. Did IT receive direction from the CEO, are you aware of this?"
Dean Flowers "I was made aware of that this morning and that's why I said the talks almost broke down this morning because we will not continue in discussions with a government who is victimizing people because they are exercising their rights. So please CEOs, supervisors, this is not politics, stop attacking our people because of their political affiliation, they have a right just like you."
And it seems those issues bogged down the meetings - because they didn't move past point 2 - which is where the left it off on Tuesday night:
Gerald Henry - President, PSU "We actually have another meeting next week Thursday to continue the process."
Hon. Elena Smith - President, BNTU "What we did today is insist on our membership that they are not in agreement with the salary cut and that clearly put to the table and so they are aware of that, so we ended the meeting at that point."
Sharon Fraser - President, APSSM "There are new proposals on the table but until it is, our members say yes, yeah or nay, it would really not be fair to speak to that without getting to them first. So, they very might well be wiggle room."
Wiggle room, but the bondholders are watching:
Jules Vasquez "And the bondholders are saying, their latest release today says do not externalize your problems on the bondholders, go to the IMF, that's what they are saying. How much of a pressure is this on the negotiations because the government it has to hold the line to show these bond holders that we really no have no money to pay unno and we're even taking a pay cut for our public servants and teachers."
Gerald Henry "I would imagine that the pressure has to be great on them for them to be sticking to the 10% cut at this time and so that's the reason why the discussions have been very difficult, and they have not been able to move as fast as we would have liked."
So, the standoff remains, progress today was nil, and the teachers and public officers must wait another week - but can the strike gain momentum:
Jules Vasquez "How would you respond to the criticism that your strike is losing momentum in so far as, a lot of people are perhaps on the fence about it because the situation nationally is so difficult, so many have lost from their earnings that, there's not a lot of public sympathy out there and that you all have not crippled the government or shutdown the schools, so the strike has not critical mass to really send a consequence to the government. How would you all respond to that criticism?"
Gerald Henry "From my perspective, if you recall it was the government who requested that we return to the table and that should mean something, we'll figure it out right."
