"the company rejected the EAA proposal as being too costly. It was never going to happen."
Negative. Try this theory. The company rejected the proposal because Sunstate Pilot reps weighed in at the 11th hour, after all the legwork had been done by the Eastern PC, with their proposal. All indications in the last several weeks were that it was about to be signed off and drafted for a vote. The Eastern PC from all reports were blind-sided last week.
We can argue all we like. Hopefully our colleagues up north will realise the bar needs to be at the very least maintained, preferably raised, but never lowered.