The union hopes to recover the money in about a year.

The union had hoped those agreements would pressure the producers to come to terms.

The union is hoping to increase aides' wages to $10 an hour from the current $7.

The union hopes this will help it gain the same salaries and benefits suburban forces receive.

The vote will be conducted by telephone, and the union hopes to have it completed before Thanksgiving.

He said the union hoped to respond to some elements of the owners' proposal at Wednesday's session.

The union hopes to organize an estimated 10,000 workers in private agencies that work for the state, she said.

Now that the union no longer can hope for help from the state arbitration board, both sides may be able to conclude contract talks quickly.

His union hopes to keep job security and free health care for its 36,000 members at the nonprofit hospitals.

Still, the union hopes to raise at least another $700,000 from its members.