Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.law From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: law Mon, Feb 17 1992 Date: Mon, 17 Feb 92 06:46:35 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: Business Law USA TODAY Update Feb. 17, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network OSHA TO STUDY WORKPLACE SMOKING: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is entering the battle over smoking in the workplace. It is the first time federal regulators have stepped into the debate over smokers and non-smokers rights at work. Letters from anti-smoking groups and others have encouraged OSHA to study workplace air quality, including the key area of the effect of environmental smoke. (For more, see special OSHA package below.) FRAUD HOTLINE IS HOT: A toll-free hot line set up Jan. 7 by the National Insurance Crime Bureau has brought in more than 2,200 calls reporting fraudulent claim activity. Investigators are following leads from across the USA called in to the insurance-fraud hot line, including tips on a ring of chiropractors believed to be filing thousands in fraudulent claims. MCCRORY FACES CHAPTER 11: The latest retail chain to be threatened with having to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection is McCrory Corp. The five-and-dime store company announced that it would miss a loan payment due Saturday, saying it is, "considering its restructuring options." McCrory's store unit operates G.C. Murphy, J.J. Newberry, H.L. Green and S.H. Kress outlets. MICROSOFT FILES FOR JUDGMENT: Microsoft Corp. is filing motions for summary judgment in a lawsuit brought against Microsoft and Hewlett Packard by Apple Computer Inc. Microsoft requests that the court remove from the case the remaining visual displays in the Microsoft Windows graphical environment versions 2.03 and 3.0 that Apple alleges infringe its copyrights. COURT RULES PATENT INFRINGEMENT: The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled Friday that the Sensolog III cardiac pacemaker manufactured by Siemens-Pacesetter, Inc. infringes the activity rate responsive patent held by Medtronic, Inc. The court granted Medtronic's motion to enjoin Siemens-Pacesetter from further manufacturing, using or selling the Sensolog III device. AGREEMENT WILL SETTLE SUIT: Under an agreement in principle, Ameriwood Industries International Corp. will acquire the 19.7% stake in Ameriwood now held by Atlantis Group, Inc. Also, the firms settled a class action suit brought on behalf of purchasers of Ameriwood stock between March 31, 1987, and March 14, 1990. Ameriwood will pay Atlantis approximately $10.13 million for Atlantis' 498,100 shares. UAW, CATERPILLAR TO MEET: The UAW and Caterpillar, which have been involved in a labor dispute for the past several months, announced jointly Friday that they have agreed to resume negotiations near St. Louis, Mo. A central bargaining meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday in Bridgeton, Mo. Labor agreements between Caterpillar and the UAW cover about 16,000 workers at facilities in four states. HELMS DENIES BCCI REPORT: Former CIA director Richard Helms Sunday called a report that he aided an attempt to take over a bank on behalf of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International "Totally untrue." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said court records show Helms aided Iranian millionaire Rahim Irvani's unsuccessful application to the Federal Reserve in 1978 to acquire the First American Bank of Washington. SUIT THREATENED OVER AWARD: California-based bus manufacturer Gillip Corp. is threatening to sue a Nevada regional commission over its decision to award Canadian firm, New Flyer Industries, a $12.6 million contract to build 60 city buses for Las Vegas. Cited: Gillip, which bid $12.2 million, is 100% American-made. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON OSHA: SMOKING AT WORK INVESTIGATED: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is studying workplace air quality, including the effect of environmental tobacco smoke on air quality in the USA's workplaces. The study could lead to a range of actions by OSHA, including: Banning smoking outright; restricting smoking at work; and requiring better building ventilation. The agency could also do nothing. STUDY WILL INCLUDE OTHER AREAS: Though the OSHA study is investigating the effects of environmental smoke, OSHA spokesman Doug Fuller says the study does not target smoking. Fuller says "The important issue is the quality of the air that workers breathe in the workplace, besides smoking." The probe is also looking at airborne contaminants such as chemicals or radon, and ventilation problems. SIDES DRAWN IN SMOKING BATTLE: The battle lines are drawn in the smoking debate. Ahron Leichtman, executive director of Citizens for A Tobacco-free Society says, "The ashtray in the workplace is going the way of the spittoon." But Walker Merryman, vice president of the Tobacco Institute says indoor air is a mixture of substances, but tobacco gets attention because it is, "about the only one you can sense." (End of package.) Business Law Editor: Jason P. Smith. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 08:0002170000D0217 ENER-R E OPEC-agrees-to-new-ceiling............ A D0217 This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. 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