That's going to be a pretty easy report for the special mediator when a party decides to absent itself from the negotiations. I certainly wouldn't want to be the union leader or the employer when the report comes out that says they didn't even try.
It's important that you understand that you can force people into a room but you can't force them to talk. I've been in these situations where people are essentially passing paper back and forth, and it's not sincere. The special mediator is there to observe that dynamic and give the parties an opportunity to change their approach, and then, if nothing changes, to publicly report back to Canadians, shareholders, customers and union members exactly what's happening at that table.