THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 10, 1997 TAG: 9701100539
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D3 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 54 lines
Pilots tell management business is unacceptable
A wage dispute between pilots and United Airlines that surfaced this week reveals a deep rift that goes to the very foundation of the company's employee ownership experiment. The pilots, angered by management's hard-nosed bargaining over wage increases, threatened to retaliate with a policy of non-cooperation to cripple the very company they own and said employee ownership of the airline is at risk. And, at American Airlines, pilots rejected a contract offer that would have given them modest pay raises and allowed the airline to use pilots represented by another union to fly small jets on its commuter affiliate, American Eagle. Pilots at United have voted on a proposal that raises wages by 3 percent in both 1997 and 1998, followed by 2 percent raises in the next two years. Results of the balloting will be announced Jan. 17. (AP)
Harbor fees hurt East Coast ports
Harbor maintenance fees that the U.S. government charges shipping lines are among several issues contributing to the diversion of U.S-bound cargo to Canadian ports from ports on the U.S. East Coast, port organizations told the U.S. Maritime Administration. Shippers also send cargo through Canadian ports to avoid the federally regulated cartel rates charged by shipping lines who serve U.S. ports. Hampton Roads port executives identify the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, as one of its chief competitors for Midwestern cargo. (Staff and wire report)
IBM puts patent filings data on the Internet
IBM is making the contents of more than 2 million patent filings available to the public on the World Wide Web, the company announced today. The database contains information on all patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since 1979, and a majority of those granted from 1971 to 1979, IBM spokesman Michael Ross said. The patent information available fills 2,800 CD-ROMs, IBM said. Web users will be able to search for patents by various categories, including subject, inventor and key words. The service will be free of charge. (AP)
Sunbeam done letting go half of its work force
Sunbeam Corp. said Thursday it completed most of the cost-cutting initiatives announced in November by Chairman and Chief Executive Albert Dunlap, including the elimination of half of its 12,000 workers. The Delray Beach-based home appliance maker said it has closed 25 of its 61 warehouses and plans to close four more early this year. Excluding 14 warehouses used by businesses still to be sold, Sunbeam expects to use 18 warehouses for its ongoing operations, six fewer than originally announced. The company also has trimmed 15 of its 26 plants, with its Bay Springs, Miss., factory still to be closed and consolidated with its Waynesboro, Miss., facility later this year, it said. Sunbeam's work force totals about 9,000, though 3,000 workers remain in businesses to be sold, the company said. (Dow Jone News Service)