31.   The mediation board declared an impasse Monday and asked both sides to consider arbitration.

32.   The News declared an impasse with the union when the strike began last July.

33.   The owners were three days away from their meeting in Chicago at which they were expected to declare an impasse in negotiations and implement a salary cap.

34.   The players, who went on strike to keep management from declaring an impasse in negotiations and imposing that cap, continue their refusal to consider it.

35.   The owners severed the last threads of order just after midnight Thursday by exercising their option under federal labor law to declare an impasse and implement new economic conditions.

36.   The players feared the owners would declare an impasse and unilaterally impose a cap.

37.   The problem is that the other side, once impasse is declared, only gets uglier.

38.   The union membership has authorized a strike if talks fail and mediators declare an impasse, but such a scenario is still weeks or months away.

39.   The two sides have declared an impasse and will go to binding arbitration.

40.   They face a management-imposed deadline at Thursday midnight to reach agreement or have the owners declare an impasse in negotiations and implement a salary cap.