
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 2, 1994                   TAG: 9402030026
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: SALISBURRY, N.C.                                 LENGTH: Short

JUDGE REINSTATES FOOD LION'S LAWSUIT

A federal judge has reinstated Food Lion's civil lawsuit charging the United Food and Commercial Workers Union with abusing the judicial process.

Food Lion sued the union a year ago, accusing it of filing frivolous and costly nuisance suits against the company. U.S. District Judge Falcon B. Hawkins dismissed Food Lion's complaint in July on a jurisdictional question.

Food Lion has since amended its complaint, and Hawkins agreed to reconsider the accusations. Food Lion's original complaint accused the union of using the courts to weaken the company's financial position, making it easier for the union to organize Food Lion workers.

Hawkins dismissed that and referred Food Lion to the National Labor Relations Board. Because the revised complaint does not accuse the union of trying to organize, labor relations laws do not pre-empt the suit, according to Hawkins' Jan. 19 ruling.

-Associated Press

by CNB