ayrprox & sandwiches
Can you please provide us with the proof that this is managements first offer?
I haven't personally spoken to any of the reps who were involved with the negotiations - but if you have then please supply the info.
And in answer to your question, if they told me in Jan there wasn't any money for a pay rise then no I wouldn't believe them - But if they told me they were offering, for example. only 2% then i'd have to believe their opening gambit had been 1% then the union had asked for 3% and we settled on 2%.
I know that's over-simplicising things but isn't that the way negotiations go?
Just because we don't know about them doesn't mean they didn't happen.