I have been a county union employee for 20 plus years and we have most certainly settled a contract in the year it expired so no mediation was needed. Attribute it to good negotiation and transparency between the board and our members. Important contract changes were left up to the membership to vote on before the contract was finalized. We just don’t have good leadership this time and the board is playing both sides and has unrealistic expectations. That is what got us into this mess.