Similar to the last round of negotiations, five days from a contract deadline for New York City transit workers, the two sides, represented by the same powerful and colorful leaders, have dug in for intense, possibly round-the-clock negotiations. This time, a dispute over pensions and health benefits - rather than wages - has emerged as the central obstacle to a deal.
See "In Transit Talks, Different Chips but Same Poker", Steven Greenhouse and Sewell Chan, The New York Times, December 11, 2005