31.   But his board position lends weight to his views, and his open dissent underscores shaky union-management relations as contract talks loom this fall.

32.   But Mo has to answer some difficult questions about his sticky contract talks.

33.   But that may hinge on the progress of the Valentin contract talks, which have gone nowhere so far but are due to resume this week.

34.   But the next sign of how serious the Walt Disney Co. is about cuts at ABC News will come during contract talks with the anchor Peter Jennings.

35.   Casterline said he and Jones might meet at the end of this week to begin contract talks.

36.   Caldwell said UPS wanted to begin contract talks last year but the union refused.

37.   Canadian Auto Workers President Buzz Hargrove said the union may strike two of the Big Three automakers at one time if contract talks that begin next week fail.

38.   Cassidy, who was involved in the contract talks under the previous regime, said he had been shut out of negotiations since Evers took control.

39.   City Hall officials voiced reluctance to discuss the contract talks, saying they needed to focus instead on the World Trade Center tragedy.

40.   Compensation for work shown on the Internet is another issue in the contract talks.