It's been superseded by events, but since the settling of the drivers' contract dispute was the probable trigger for last night's announcement of the Strib's reorganization plan, here are a few details you didn't read in the daily:

First, the vote to settle the pension dispute was overwhelming: 86-15, according to a knowledgeable source not authorized to speak for one of the parties. This came after a 76-30 vote authorizing a strike if a judge threw out the drivers' most recent contract.

What did the drivers gain from their holdout? Not much.

Management did not expand a plan to help make up early-retirement losses for most drivers. All told, 23 current or recently retired drivers will be moved to the company's pension plan — the same number as before. Those with less than 25 years of service remain screwed.

The one spiff is that the "winners" in the pension-shift game will recoup 90 percent of their losses in the company plan, up from 80 percent. For drivers who stood to lose around $300 a month, their losses will drop to, say, $150.

The pension "sweetener" will make it easier for those at the very top to go away; they'll also get 40 weeks of buyout money. The Strib will guarantee jobs for 55 drivers until May 31, 2011. The contract — barring future revision — ends a month later.

The cave-in comes amid evidence that the Strib's other union locals could not or would not observe the drivers' picket line.

I need to do a bit more checking to find the final state of the $20 million pension liability the Strib sought to avoid by withdrawing from the Teamster Central States pension fund. Management had said creditors wouldn't take over the paper unless the liability went away; the re-org announcement last night probably indicates the problem has been solved..