I know some really big US forklift companies that lease service vans, and pay top dollar to the lease company. there are many ways to not make money, if you get my drift, and you can learn many interesting things if you "follow the money" too.
The bottom line to me here is; there is a renegotiation of compensation happening, and someone has started the negotiation with a "hard line demand". It would seem to me that the next question (and I think Eddie answered it) would be if you feel you have what it takes to "call the bluff" or "bluff" your self.