DAYTON DAILY NEWS                   Copyright (c) 1997, Dayton Newspapers Inc.DATE: Thursday, August 21, 1997             TAG: 9708210097EDITION: CITY          SECTION: METRO TODAY PAGE: 7B SOURCE: By Sandra Sobieraj Associated Press                                LABOR SECRETARY                         BOTH SIDES SAY HERMAN DUG IN    WASHINGTON - When Alexis Herman nudged both sides into settling the UPSstrike, she belatedly, if unwittingly, shoved back at critics who resisted hernomination as Labor secretary eight months ago.   Business and labor activists alike tossed Herman credit this week forhelping to end the 15-day strike.   ``She did a lot of the heavy lifting here and was superb at it,'' GerryShea, the AFL-CIO's chief of staff, said Wednesday. On the other side, U.S.Chamber of Commerce spokesman Joe Davis agreed: ``She was very constructive.''   The strike talks were the first real test of Herman's mettle since herprotracted and bruising four-month confirmation, in which pro-businessRepublicans stalled on Senate hearings and organized labor backed someone elseas its first choice.   While the personal stakes were high, they were not a motivating factor asHerman dug in her heels, prodding the United Parcel Service and Teamsters backto the negotiating table, a top aide said.   ``We never got to the point of `what if this falls apart?' Some of ustried, telling her, `You're going to have to explain it to people,' but shewouldn't entertain it,'' said the aide, who was with Herman throughout andspoke on condition of anonymity.   Success was her best revenge, said Shea. ``She deserves a little bit of `Itold you so.' But it's not her style.'' The AFL-CIO, like Sen. Edward Kennedy,senior Democrat on the Senate Labor Committee, initially preferred former Sen.Harris Wofford, D-Pa., for the job, believing that Herman lacked clout toraise the department's profile.   Any doubt disappeared last weekend, when Herman closeted herself - for fourdays and three sleepless nights - in a Washington hotel with the parties untilthey got a deal.LENGTH:   49 linesILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:          Keys to the deal: (L-R) Teamsters' Ron Carey, David Murray of UPS          and Labor Secretary Alexis Herman.          PHOTO CREDIT: J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/ASSOCIATED PRESS CATEG: LABOR & THE WORKPLACE