The bitter Detroit newspaper dispute is over, and newspaper unions have called off the boycott of the Detroit News and Free Press.

After five and a half years of battling the papers with picket lines, with boycotts and in the courts, the Metropolitan Council of Newspaper Unions officially called off the boycott of the papers on Dec. 20. The announcement came after the remaining unions involved in the labor dispute ratified contracts with their employers.

"We thank you for standing strong with us for such a long time," said Al Derey, president of the Metropolitan Council of Newspaper Unions. "We will never forget your kindness and support."

Teamsters President James P. Hoffa said, "It's time for the healing process to begin," and said he would help support union members at the papers by subscribing to the paper.

The boycott hurt the papers, especially initially, but they became profitable again. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, the newspapers' combined daily sales fell from about 900,000 before the strike to an average of 603,097 in the six months ending in September.

Under the agreement with the unions, cash bonuses of $1,000 per worker will be paid if newspaper sales rise by 100,000 copies and up to $3,000 per worker if the increase is 200,000 copies or more. The papers will remain an open shop, with union participation voluntary.

"One of the lessons of the last five-and-a-half years is that it's far better to be partners with our unions than to be adversaries," said Heath Meriwether, publisher of the Free Press. "This is an important signal that we're going to develop a new relationship that will benefit everyone - the people at the Free Press and the people we serve every day with our newspaper."