Contract Talks

Two of the most outspoken critics of the Howard County Police Department are being challenged in police union elections that end tomorrow in a vote that some officers fear could leave top police officials in virtual control ofTheir two challengers, meanwhile, acknowledge that they would like to improve the union's often contentious relations with the department's management."

Contract negotiations between Delta Air Lines and its pilots union are unlikely to produce an "on-time" deal by May 1 as had been hoped, company and union officials conceded yesterday. "It's going to be very tough to get it done by that deadline," said Delta Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Leo Mullin. "The chances have diminished because of the pace of the past four weeks or so," said Charles Giambusso, chairman of Delta's Air Line Pilots Association unit. The two spoke in separate interviews.

Carroll school employee unions are preparing for what are expected to be the most difficult contract negotiations in years, after the school board cut pay raises from next year's budget and then tried unsuccessfully to change the rules of bargaining. The school board's decision to back out of tentative contract agreements with the system's 2,800 employees, followed by the board's attempt to move contract renegotiations into open meetings, set an ugly stage from which contract talks must resume, union leaders said.

The Neall administration wants to delay contract talks with six unions until next January, saying that revenue will not rise enough to pay for across-the-board pay raises next year.Union leaders reachedyesterday were divided on the proposal. Some said the request was expected; others questioned reports of the county's precarious fiscal health.Although the Office of Budget projects a $17 million surplus for the fiscal year, Personnel Director Richard Mayer said Anne Arundel government cannot afford cost-of-living raises or other contract changes sought by the county's 3,500 employees.

Federal mediators will attempt to restart stalled contract talks between the union representing 14,500 East and Gulf coast dockworkers and the group representing their employers in an effort to avert the first strike in 35 years. A strike would clot the shipment of billions of dollars of goods in and out of the eastern United States at the peak of the holiday shipping season, potentially driving up prices and threatening the nation's nascent economic recovery. The dockworkers' current contract expires Oct. 1. Baltimore port officials greeted word of federal mediators' intervention with relief.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco will report to training camp Monday, and he said that it doesn't matter one bit whether his contract situations is resolved quickly or not. “If it happens, it happens,” Flacco said tonight. “I see myself being here for many years no matter what happens. " After securing running back Ray Rice to a long-term deal Monday, the Ravens accelerated contract talks with Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, this week. At this point, no deal is imminent but both sides are optimistic that one can be reached before the season, which represents Flacco's final year of his rookie contract.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco caused quite a stir in early April when he told my former colleague, Jamison Hensley, that he felt it was time for the team to extend his rookie contract, which expires after next season. "I think I've established myself," Flacco said at the time. "If you're not confident with who I am, I'm not sure what [difference] a year is going to make. " To his credit, Flacco hasn't said much about his contract since and his focus has been on leading the Ravens on a Super Bowl run. It will start tomorrow when the Ravens play host to the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Town Council unanimously passed a budget Wednesday that includesno tax increase.The county's decision to maintain the trash tipping fee at $15 per ton enabled the council to hold property taxes to the present 45 cents per $100 of assessed value.In other business, Steven C. Horn, county planner, said the blockgrant request to address the town's storm water drainage problems had been forwarded to Annapolis by the April 30 deadline.Mayor James C. Carlisle said he had received a letter of support for the application from Delegate Donald B. Elliott, R-Carroll, Howard.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti acknowledged Friday there is still a “gap” in contract talks between the team and Ray Rice, but he remains optimistic the team will reach a long-term agreement with its star running back and quarterback Joe Flacco. Rice, who would play the season under the $7.7-million franchise tag if a long-term extension isn't reached before July 16, is not expected to be at the team's mandatory veteran mini-camp which starts Tuesday and is a threat to hold out from next month's training camp.

Open letter to Derrick Mason: Retirement isn't necessarily a bad idea, unless you invested with Bernie Madoff or those Stanford Financial guys, but it's a pretty big decision with far-reaching implications. That's why everyone was so surprised when - and how - the news broke Monday that you had decided to end your stellar NFL career. The reasoning isn't hard to follow, of course. It's time to spend more time at home. You've played a long time. You've accomplished a great deal. Your body has taken a beating.