41.   The government and the union are expected to talk this weekend to avert a strike, officials said.

42.   The most intriguing maneuver mentioned during the day was a reported effort by an unidentified group of owners to come up with a way of averting the strike.

43.   The mayor said he was hopeful a strike could be averted despite the impending deadline, based on conversations he has had with negotiators.

44.   The only way to avert a strike would be to reach a last-minute agreement or temporarily extend the existing contract.

45.   The settlement, reached in Atlanta, averted a strike that was scheduled to begin Sunday morning.

46.   The two sides continued their talks Friday in New York City and Washington in an effort to avert a strike that would affect phone service from Virginia to Maine.

47.   To avert a strike, many inmates were transferred, two prisons were placed under lockdown and guards were added.

48.   To avert a strike, Congress could pass a bill, which Clinton would have to sign, to send the parties back to the negotiating table.

49.   UPS was confident a strike had been averted for now.

50.   With so many people affected, pressure also builds on governors, members of Congress and the Clinton administration to step in to avert a strike.