He recommended ratification of the contract.

Their delegation leaders plan to recommend ratification.

"I am going to recommend ratification."

Union leaders are recommending ratification of the new contract, which would expire on March 31, 2003.

He added that a majority on the panel could be persuaded to vote to recommend ratification over Senator Helms's objections.

He noted that 17 members of the union's 20-member negotiating committee had recommended ratification.

But if the owner-negotiators try to bargain and somehow succeed, the person said, the executive council could recommend ratification of the deal to all of the owners.

The union's delegates, representing each of the city's nearly 1,100 schools, did vote last week to recommend ratification, but only after a spirited debate.

Because the job transfer, new plant contract extension, and the piece worker issues were all still outstanding, the council felt it could not recommend ratification.

Brian Walton, executive director of the guild who recommended ratification, got standing ovations at the beginning and the end of his presentation.