I would like to have a new agreement also! But I'm not willing to pay the price that would cost. I'm not willing to give up scope to just get a new agreement. Scope is the cost!!! We could probably have a new agreement if we just caved on scope. That seems to be what the Company wants and is not willing to give up the ghost on that one. That is why I say "be patient".

Both parties are restricted from talking specifically about negotiations while negotiating. That is and has been the protocol as long as I've been in the Industry. Failure of that could be construed as negotiating in bad faith.