CLINTON STRIKES A BLOW FOR LABOR

President Clinton today issued an executive order forbidding the federal government to sign big contracts with firms that hire permanent replacements for striking workers. Republicans already are preparing legislation to repeal the president's executive order, which applies only to government contracts exceeding $100,000 and will not be retroactive. "This is a political move on the part of the president to ingratiate himself with the labor unions," says TIME business reporter Bernard Baumohl, who pointed out that Clinton previously alienated the unions by backingNAFTAandbailing out the Mexican economy.