A city school board member said she wants to make a push to complete contract talks between Pittsburgh Public Schools and two union locals that have been without agreements since December 2006.

Theresa Colaizzi, chairman of the board's Negotiations Committee, said two or three issues stand in the way of contracts with two locals represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Local 297 represents about 450 custodial workers, drivers, food service employees and others. Local 2924 represents about 240 clerical workers.

Ms. Colaizzi said the dispute has dragged on long enough.

"I'm willing to sit and work it out until it gets done," Ms. Colaizzi said, maintaining employees and the district would welcome the relief of putting the talks behind them.

The district and Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers hammered out a tentative agreement for about 2,800 teachers and other professional employees during a 20-hour negotiating session that concluded Jan. 15. Union members later ratified the three-year contract.

Ms. Colaizzi said the district and AFSCME took a similar approach March 3-4, bargaining for about 18 hours straight.

She said she was disappointed when negotiators, frustrated they couldn't close the deal, decided to end the session.

Richard Caponi, director of AFSCME Council 84, Downtown, said the parties may reach agreement at their next session. None is scheduled now.

Though the marathon session didn't produce agreements, Mr. Caponi said it was productive. He said remaining issues include wages, health care and length of agreement.

In addition to the AFSCME workers, the district still is working to conclude talks with about 600 paraprofessionals and 50 technical-clerical workers represented by the teachers union. Those groups have been without agreements since June 30.

The district also must wrap up talks with about 70 tradesmen, who have been without an agreement since January 2007.