Now, with summer just a few weeks away, the big chill could finally be on its way.

Despite all the sound and fury of the past few weeks, the gap between the government and unions is narrowing by the day.

And as unlikely as it may seem, a deal on both the pay freeze and the public sector cuts emerging from the second industrial commission showdown on Monday is not out of the question.

The unions have effectively been cornered by the government's bloody-minded refusal to change its overall stance and has given a great deal of ground in the past few months.

And despite trading barbs with Treasurer Peter Gutwein over what may or may not have been offered at the industrial commission, the unions' stance is inching closer to what the government wants.

Beneath all the bluster, both sides seem battle weary after seven months of shenanigans - much like the rest of the state, who have only been watching on.

The lines of communication have been so poor until now that locking senior government officials and union secretaries in a room until they can agree might just be the best way to get an outcome.

The role of the Tasmanian Industrial Commission and its president, Tim Abey, will also be important when the two sides go at it again on Monday.

Mr Abey would have been fuming when Mr Gutwein accused him of overstepping his remit and entering the political debate - not enough to vent publicly, but enough perhaps to test the commission's power to make the government enter real negotiations with the unions.

It's also in the government's best interest to sort the issue quickly, as next year's budget is less than six months away, and there are more industrial fights coming.

A decision by the nurses' union to head to the commission to sort out its new agreement means the government will have an opponent with a stronger bargaining position and more public support.

The government's uncompromising stance over the budget cuts strikes an interesting point of comparison after its substantial backdown on its anti-protest laws.

It's often said it's never nice to see sausages and laws being made, and that certainly rang true when the Legislative Council took to the Workplace (Protection from Protesters) Bill with some very sharp knives and a mincer.

The law, which now looks certain to pass parliament, contains no mandatory minimum sentences, and will only increase the available sentences for offences, which can been found elsewhere on the books.

The result of a confused week is that the government will, for now, let the judiciary decide how serial pests are dealt with, but reserve the right to bring back mandatory sentences if it is not satisfied with the sentences handed down.

The first protester charged under the Workplace Bill should carry a jumper when taken into the cells.

After all, this is Tassie, and you never know when a freeze might hit.