It is clear there was an opportunity there and BA made the choice not to take it....
To those who think I have some axe to grind I should make it clear that I have nothing but contempt for the leaders of both sides. There is no difference between them. As usual it's the people in the middle that always suffer. If they all pulled their collective necks in and let the negotiators negotiate this would all be over far quicker.
It's clear that one side blinked when they were trying to bluff, and it wasn't BA.
Now, please read everything that has been posted here and in the CC forum, then you will see that there was no negotiation from one side, despite all the offers and reassurances BA gave. And remember that this went as far as BA granting an extention to the strike mandate, and allowing them to consider an offer (with the provision that no dates for IA were announced) which was withdrawn after the union announced the strike dates almost immediately!! BA are right to stand their ground on this now, the union had no intention of actually "negotiating".