"If you want to do the same old same old, then there's no bargaining issue here," Ms. Weingarten said.

Torrey said he couldn't speak about the bargaining issues because only Zieglerhas that authority.

The bargaining issues this time "don't rise to the magnitude of the issues that separated us six years ago," Stern said.

If the collective bargaining issue was worded in the context of balancing the state budget, Governor Walker does better.

"At the same time, of course, we believe that the proper forum for resolving collective bargaining issues is at the negotiating table."

Following publication of the study a state statute was adopted prohibiting unions from making the selection of health insurance providers a bargaining issue.

Because most Boeing machinists have more than 20 years' experience, pensions have become a major bargaining issue.

Major bargaining issues include the teachers' demand for a double-digit raise and the city's demand to end tenure.

There has not been much movement on other bargaining issues between Israel and the Palestinians since both sides embraced that one-year target in early September.

Even at unionized companies, there are no clear guidelines for union access to corporate E-mail systems; increasingly it is becoming another bargaining issue.