We all agreed that what he was offering was no incentive to go back to work.
"So," Brian said, looking directly at the boss. "What you are saying is that if we don't go back to work, you'll fire us... but if we do go back to work, you won't pay us for a month, and then you'll probably fire us?"
The boss, a big man who looked like a pig had swallowed a wardrobe, blinked. "I don't think I put it quite like that," he said, his face scrunched up in thought as if he was trying to squeeze out the memory of what he had just said from his brain.
"You did," Brenda said.
Brian stood up. "I've had enough. I'm walking out. You'll hear from my representative."
We all stood up and made to follow Brian as he walked towards the door. The boss stood up.
"Wait!" he squealed. "I am sure we can work this out."
Brian paused, his hand on the doorknob.
"We'll need a written guarantee of no reprisals, and we'll all need a pay rise."
The boss looked as though someone had just stuck a firework up his bottom and lit the fuse.
...
