To the surprise of them, and many others, the two sides reached agreement last week without a strike deadline ever having been set.

The strike deadline passed without any action as talks continued.

The negotiations are to continue right up to the strike deadline.

The union did not even have to set a strike deadline.

A strike deadline had been set for Tuesday, the day the agreement was reached.

"It shows we can reach an agreement without strike deadlines."

They didn't come off that position, he added, until the two sides reached the players' strike deadline.

But the two sides reached an agreement before the strike deadline.

But at this point, the strike deadline of April 28 remains in effect.

The interview took place a few hours after the union's executive committee had set a strike deadline.