The meeting was supposed to start at nine.
The union rep arrived at eight fifty-two and moved his chair so it faced the door. Sera noticed and said nothing. The three company lawyers arrived together at eight fifty-eight, set their briefcases down in a row, and arranged their water glasses with the careful energy of people expecting a long fight.
Sera arrived at nine exactly. One folder. She sat down.
Arren Manufacturing. Two hundred and twelve workers, mostly floor staff, average tenure of eleven years. A management decision four months ago had changed the overnight shift schedule without union consultation, which violated the existing contract, which had triggered a grievance, which had escalated until both sides were now threatening things they could not actually afford. A Montague l
