I think Hotel has summed that up nicely. From the outset BASSAs stance has been that they would not make the savings required and so have sought to drag the process out as long as possible in the hope that the problem would go away. Nor did they ask crew if they'd be willing to make the savings. That's not negotiation.
PS My source was inside the Big Brother house when negotiations were ongoing and is a neutral party. He said even ACAS despaired at BASSAs behaviour, but I suppose it'll all come out in court, if Unite can bear to let it go that far.