JERSEY CITY (Ticker) -- Claiming a work stoppage is the last thing he wants, Major League Baseball Players Association chief Donald Fehr announced Monday that the union has postponed setting a strike date.

With members of the players' union in attendance at the O'Hare Hilton in Chicago, Fehr revealed that the union has seen enough progress recently and as a good faith measure would not set a walkout date.

"Following today's discussion, the board decided not to take formal action and set a strike date while expressing hope that an agreement can be reached in the very near future," Fehr said.

Fehr and Major League Baseball Baseball commissioner Bud Selig spoke by phone Monday and discussed the progress made recently.

"It was not a long conversation, but we talked about the overall situation and bargaining, and what's transpired the last few days and what may transpire the next few days," Fehr said.

Fehr did say that there would be a conference call on Friday if no deal was reached. A strike date could be set at that time.

Recently the players agreed to testing for steroids, but the dispute over revenue and how it is shared does not appear to be anywhere near a resolution.

"As we approached this meeting, there have been developments at the bargaining table, which have resulted in a number of issues," Fehr said. "We still have issues to be resolved including what are probably the most significant ones."

"The players have always said setting a strike date is not something we take lightly," Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said. "We understand the ramifications of that, we understand what happened in 1994 and what it did to the game of baseball, so we are going to give the negotiating process every chance to succeed."

Since 10 teams are playing Monday, a few sent alternate player representatives to Monday's meeting, such as Oakland's Mark Mulder and Anaheim's Jarrod Washburn. Mulder and Washburn pitched Sunday.

Players and owners reportedly have reached agreement on minimum salaries and financing of the benefit plan. The sides still are discussing revenue sharing, a luxury tax and a worldwide draft.

The owners' proposal would levy a 50 percent tax on portions of payrolls over $98 million. Players have complained that the tax, in combination with revenue sharing, could serve as a salary cap, which they oppose.

Although still far apart, the sides have gotten closer to agreeing on revenue sharing, which ranges from a transfer of $49 million to $70 million from wealthier clubs to poorer clubs, the New York Times said Friday.

August 12 was the date of the last baseball strike in 1994, the only time the the postseason was wiped out.