Negotiations

Games lost yesterday: 10.Total games missed: 63.Earliest estimated date that season can start: Dec. 15.Negotiations: Nothing scheduled. Union's negotiating committee meets today in New York.Projected player salary losses (through Dec. 8): $250 million.Today's best canceled game: Charlotte at Detroit. Would have been Grant Hill's first appearance this season on national television.Pub Date: 11/11/98

A six-month impasse between the Board of Education and the Howard County Education Association the largest union in the school system, will now be determined by the Maryland Public School Labor Relations Board (MPSLRB). It is important for the reader to understand that the MPSLRB was established by Gov. Martin O'Malley and the Democrat-led General Assembly in 2010 to settle disputes between local school boards and unions. The MPSLRB consists of five members appointed by the governor with Senate consent.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The guerrilla army of the African National Congress, which operated in secret from bases outside the country for nearly three decades, opened its first-ever national conference inside the borders of South Africa yesterday.ANC President Nelson Mandela, commander in chief of the army and one of its founders in 1961, said the three-day meeting was historic because "we are gathered not in the cellars, safe houses and hide-outs of the underground, but in full view of all."

The Orioles and the agent for free-agent first baseman Rafael Palmeiro plodded through a day of detail work yesterday, and hope to put the final touches on a five-year contract early today.A club source said late last night that an agreement remained close and that it's likely the final problems will be resolved shortly, but the negotiations have been far more difficult than anyone expected.Orioles general manager Roland Hemond and agent Jim Bronner were in telephone contact throughout yesterday, but finally shelved the negotiations at about 7:30 last night.

Chrysler and the United Auto Workers union began contract talks yesterday, formally opening the U.S. auto industry's effort to reduce labor costs that now give an advantage to Asian rivals. UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Thomas W. LaSorda shook hands to mark the start of bargaining in a ceremony at company headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. The talks are aimed at replacing a four-year contract expiring Sept. 14. General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. open negotiations Monday.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- A leftist black group became the latest organization yesterday to opt out of negotiations on a new South Africa free of apartheid.The Pan Africanist Congress, which once hoped to form a formidable team with Nelson Mandela's African National Congress, said it would not attend this week's negotiating session because the results were rigged by the government and the ANC.The decision, reached by 2,000 PAC delegates at a conference in Cape Town yesterday, is not likely to slow the process since the PAC does not have a significant following.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Nelson Mandela started the new political year with a conciliatory gesture yesterday by virtually accepting the government's timetable for elections next year.Speaking at a news conference, Mr. Mandela said his African National Congress wanted an end to white rule in South Africa this year. But he said the anti-apartheid group was "not dogmatic" about the timing of South Africa's first democratic elections."Although we feel elections are urgent, there may be some developments which would make it impossible to hold elections this year.

The Orioles and newly-acquired Glenn Davis will begin negotiations on a long-term contract this week.Davis arrived in town from Houston last night, held a news conference today, and will spend the next three days here. Robert Fraley, his agent, will join Davis Wednesday. Mike Moye, an associate of Fraley's, also was scheduled to arrive today.Although he expressed a feeling of nervousness, Davis appeared calm and enthusiastic. "I'm shaking a little bit," he said, "but I don't know exactly why -- whether it's because of all the people, or because I'm cold."

HERNDON, Va. -- The baseball labor talks recessed early yesterday without significant progress toward a settlement, but the bargaining units have agreed to work behind the scenes this week and reconvene Nov. 28.The Major League Baseball Players Association still has not given an official response to ownership's new taxation proposal, but the union has made it clear that the size of the excess payroll tax -- as the proposal is configured -- would have the...

Hard to believe though it may be, the Harford County government has been legally able to buy land without first getting it appraised. This seems to defy logic on a number of levels, not the least of which is that when a government is able to buy land without first having a good idea of its value, the system is left vulnerable to the politically well-connected able to sell property at inflated prices with only their allies in office being party...