"He didn't settle the contract with us, and now, off the work that we did, he's trying to launch a mayoral candidacy".
Leaders of the two unions held a news conference yesterday at the World Trade Center site, calling on President Bush to help settle the contract dispute.
Kristine Grow, an Aramark spokeswoman, said the company has made a fair offer to settle the contract dispute at New York Life, Citigroup and 55 Water.
"No matter what happens, you have to go back to the negotiating table to try to settle the contract," Mr. Hanley said.
But the person who may be most anxious to settle the contract is Schools Chancellor Harold O. Levy, who could point to a settlement as a major accomplishment as Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg decides whether to keep him on the job.
In the interview, which was taped Friday and broadcast yesterday on "WB11 News Close-Up," Mr. Bloomberg said that it would be difficult to settle the contract without knowing how much the state budget would provide for raises, or whether the State Legislature would change the city school system's governing structure to give him the control he seeks.
Vitale asked Lewis what it would take to settle the contract.
NBC will also pay about $12 million to settle the contracts of others associated with show, including Mr. O'Brien's longtime executive producer and closest colleague, Jeff Ross.
Pressure to settle the contracts quickly is not high; teachers, uniformed employees and others continue to receive step increases, or automatic pay bumps linked to milestones in service.
Part of the answer may be that the potential costs of settling the put contracts made executives more desperate to impress Wall Street and keep the stock price up.
