Yes that’s what the company said, the same company the appears to be over working employees in unsafe working conditions, so it shouldn’t come as a shock the company statement is bellied by the fact the employees are still on strike and the union is still negotiating.

How many proposals were given a flat "No" before this one was offered?

Yes, an offer under duress isn’t a real offer. It’s an attempt to not lose more.

This reminds me of a rape case where the girl asked the guy to use a condom. Getting raped was going to happen. She wanted to at least not get AIDS. In court, he argued it wasn’t rape because she asked him to use a condom, therefore consented. The court of course wasn’t having it.