The Year in Preview

Labor: For union members and other workers, 1999 could be the year of the payoff. In California, labor leaders expect that the help they provided to elect incoming Gov. Gray Davis will translate into labor-friendly appointments and policies. Workers across the country may see substantial wage increases as a result of continuing strong employment growth. If the economy softens, however, so will the likelihood of raises. Unionists and federal overseers will watch to see whether newly elected Teamster President James P. Hoffa continues the cleanup of his long-tainted union or returns it to the corrupt practices that prevailed when his father, Jimmy Hoffa, ran the organization.