UPS: Will Clinton Deliver?

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WASHINGTON: The rumors are flying. The packages aren't. Rumor has it the White House may take a more active role in UPS-Teamster negotiations that resume today, jump-started by Labor Secretary Alexis Herman. Although Bruce Van Voorst in TIME's Washington bureau expects Clinton to stay above the fray because the majority of Americans are against his intervention, the White House would love to have the UPS strike wrapped up before Clinton heads north Sunday for a three-week vacation on Martha's Vinyard.

Not to mention that the so far hands-off president is increasingly under fire for being soft on the striking Teamsters. In what many are calling the battle over the future of organized labor in America TIME's business editor Bill Saporito disagrees, saying labor lost that battle years ago Clinton clearly wants to keep AFL-CIO head John Sweeny, who just put up $10 million a week to support striking Teamsters, firmly in the Democratic camp. The president has managed to stay an arm's length away from the talks as Herman delivered both sides back to the bargaining table, ready to negotiate today, but not optimistic.