[Was] the government getting more back than it would have under the previous contract, more than a private sector operator would have?
Improvements in residual rates for pay cable programs, like "The Sopranos," will raise the amount writers receive to about $4 million under the new agreement from a total of $300,000 under the previous contract.
Under the previous contract, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia received royalties, at a lower rate, on wholesale purchases of products by Kmart.
Under the previous contract, transit system employees contributed $92 a month for health benefits and paid nothing toward their pensions.
Under the previous contract, held by Bank of America, taxpayers sent checks to a city address.
The contract will raise hourly pay for full-time workers to $10 an hour on Dec. 31, 2004, up from $9 under the previous contract, which expired on Dec. 31, 2003.
Under the previous contract, producers determined the number of stagehands needed to load a production into a theater before that process began; that entire group, which can often number more than 30, would then be employed for every day of the load-in, whether there was work for everyone or not.
Two years ago, under the previous contract, union officials expected to lose the small-car production to Mexico.
Under his previous contract, Mr. Gee would have earned about $6 million over the next four years.
