We are working under a contract extension for the next two weeks in order to continue bargaining.  We are dealing with very difficult issues, as you know, at a time when the economic atmosphere is far from ideal for this sort of endeavor.  The nation has failed to reform health care, and that leaves us in the position of sorting through the thousands of options – all of them extremely expensive and guaranteed to get worse – to settle on a plan that makes the best compromise solution for Local 1700 members.  And we’re just not going to sign a deal and bring it to the members for a vote until we are certain that it is the best deal we can get under the circumstances.  

            Tomorrow we meet again with the company.  I can’t say that these talks are unproductive.  We have had many very good discussions with the company about ways to improve the conditions under which Greyhound employees work.  I still believe we are going to be able to reach a deal that will make working for Greyhound a much better proposition than ever before.  But we’re not there yet. 

            Tomorrow’s bargaining session might bring us closer to a deal.  Your Union Executive Board is going to do everything we can to bring this process to a close in a way that makes sense.  I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.