No need to be concerned about a strike on the Pennsylvania Turnpike-- at least not until next week.

That is when management and Teamsters union officials representing 2,000 hourly workers are to return to the bargaining table in Harrisburg and resume negotiations for a new contract.

Talks were supposed to take place at noon Tuesday but were postponed to an unknown date next week because of schedule conflicts.

Meanwhile, the rank-and-file workers have agreed to stay on the job under provisions of the old contract that expired Sept. 30, 2003.

The Teamsters, representing toll collectors, maintenance workers and other support personnel, had threatened to strike without notice after talks broke off Oct. 25. Meanwhile, turnpike officials disclosed a back-up plan to staff facilities with management working 12-hour shifts seven days a week and charging flat tolls of $2 for cars and $15 for big trucks regardless of distance traveled.

At the union's request, a state mediator is bringing the two sides back to the table after the impasse had been declared.

Since then, leaders of Locals 250 and 77 told members that International Teamsters President James P. Hoffa and Secretary-Treasurer Thomas Keegel "have become personally involved and will coordinate all future negotiations" with the turnpike.

Turnpike Chief Executive Officer Joe Brimmeier said he hopes a walkout can be averted.

"I'm optimistic that we'll be able to resolve our differences and work out an agreement that both sides can accept," he said in a news release.

The Teamsters have threatened to strike in the past but have never carried out a strike in the 64-year history of the toll road. A strike would affect car and truck drivers accounting for about 500,000 trips and $1.4 million in tolls a day.

Turnpike officials have acknowledged that problems brought on by a strike or by management filling in for rank-and-file workers would not likely go over well with the public. An average toll hike of 42.5 percent went into effect Aug. 1.