To the union this has ceased to be about Kaepernick or the flag, and has morphed into a generalized power grab.
They see this as an opportunity to wrest player discipline powers away from Goodell. A mediated settlement which forces them to reinstate Kaepernick would pretty much put the inmates in charge of the prison (to coin a phrase).
The owners of the league and the commissioner have probably come to realize, albeit far too late, that placating the lunatics in the asylum has sent them into a fast moving downward spiral. Honestly, I’ll bet as the season comes to an end and some teams are out, there are going to be completely empty stadiums and some fanatical player protests that will even shock ...us.
It would definitely put the inmates in charge of the ASYLUM. I think the NFL reached that point with this whole stoopid unpatriotic fiasco.