Negotiations have neared the edge of reason

Foster's shares its thoughts on the negotiations towards a new state employees' contract.

Union negotiators blinked, and the people of New Hampshire won.

Lynch never wanted to order layoffs. His preference all along has been structured furloughs for state employees — unpaid days off through the current biennium that will allow the state's 11,500 state employees to keep their jobs and most of their benefits. Under the terms of the initial tentative agreement, 18 days were to be furloughed by spring of next year.

The agreement reached on Friday adds a day to the furloughs. The furlough schedule includes 12 days on which government business is shut down — days similar to and including state holidays. Employees would choose when to take the other seven days.