Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!tamsun.tamu.edu!mtecv2!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Newsgroups: usa-today.law,americast.usa-today.law Subject: law Fri, Aug 28 1992 Message-ID: Date: 28 Aug 92 08:57:03 GMT Organization: American Cybercasting Lines: 118 Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com 08-28 0000 DECISIONLINE: Business Law USA TODAY Update Aug. 28-30, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network NISSAN WINS ALTIMA FIGHT: Nissan Motor said Thursday that a federal court ruled in its favor over a name fight concerning its new Altima sedan. The court denied a request from Altima Systems, a computer maker, for a temporary restraining order over the use of the Altima name. Nissan's sedan will be launched Thursday. IDS TO SETTLE AGE SUIT: IDS Financial Corp. said Thursday it has agreed to make a $35 million settlement in a nationwide age-discrimination suit. IDS is a unit of American Express Co. The class-action suit was filed in 1989 by 32 former IDS division managers and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. IDS agreed to internally audit personnel practices and procedures. BOYCOTT OF USA TODAY URGED: The international president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Thursday urged unionized railroad employees to boycott USA TODAY. Ronald McLaughlin said the newspaper slanted its reporting of the recent railroad lockout. "In the pages of USA TODAY ... a nonexistent `nationwide strike' by unionized employees was being blamed for a national emergency," he said in a letter. LABOR WANTS RULING RE-THOUGHT: The Labor Department Thursday asked the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a ruling over air contaminants. Labor wants the court to reconsider its invalidation of a sweeping rule over workers' exposures to 428 air contaminants. Labor Secretary Lynn Martin said that if the decision wasn't reversed, it could "seriously damage OSHA's ability to protect workers." OTS REPORTS JULY ACTIONS: The Office of Thrift Supervision Thursday reported that it completed 71 enforcement actions in July. So far, the office has completed 461 enforcements this year. The listings are available by type of enforcement and alphabetically by thrift. Write Information Services Division, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1776 G St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20552, or call 1-202-906-5900. BEANIE HELMET RECALLED: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Thursday ordered a recall of the E&R Fiberglass beanie motorcycle helmet. The California Highway Patrol has been citing riders since June 2 when the NHTSA said the helmets did not meet federal standards. The recall notice said the helmet flunks four of the five categories needed for Department of Transportation approval. GROUP WANTS TRUCKS RECALLED: Consumer group The Center for Auto Safety said Thursday it has asked the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to investigate what it says is a defect in 1973-1987 model Chevrolet and GMC full-size trucks. The group says fuel tanks mounted on the trucks' frame could explode. The administration has 120 days to consider the petition. STRIKE COULD COST SATURN: A strike at GM's metal fabricating plant in Lordstown, Ohio, could cost General Motors' Saturn Corp. subsidiary $2 million a day, an industry analyst said Thursday. GM's Spring Hill, Tenn., Saturn plant will cease operations after the second work shift at 4 a.m. ET Friday, according to a company spokesman. Saturn workers have been told to report Monday for training sessions. TEACHER BARGAINING CONTINUES: Employees of the Michigan Education Association have said they will not work without a contract, the United Staff Organization said Thursday. All six bargaining contracts expire Monday. There has been no meaningful progress in negotiations. MEA management has made its first financial package offer, including a wage freeze and major rollbacks. Bargaining is continuing. AES PUT UP FOR SALE: AES Corp. independent power producer is up for sale Friday by lenders frustrated by its actions. Potential bidders include Bechtel Corp. and Pacific Gas & Electric. In May, Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth accused AES of lying about aspects of its 250-megawatt Cedar Bay project in Jacksonville. Butterworth accused AES of intending to renege on a promise to shut down old boilers. AES CHIEF DISAGREES WITH CHARGE: CEO Roger Sant of AES Corp. says that running boilers Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth wanted shut down had always been an option. After Butterworth's accusations, the Florida Cabinet voted to begin permit-revocations proceedings against the AES Cedar Bay plant, although the revocation later was put on hold. EPA PREPARES CNG STANDARDS: The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it is preparing tailpipe emission standards for vehicles powered by compressed natual gas, a cleaner-burning fuel. The EPA said the standards will be published in September in the Federal Register and that they would take effect in September 1994. The Big Three automakers are developing such vehicles. INSURER REJECTS DEPT. REPORT: The Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. Thursday rejected a Department of Insurance report on insurance complaints as misleading and of little value to California's insurance consumers. Among other complaints, according to a Farmers spokesman: The Department of Insurance has a "record of abuse" in releasing "misleading complaint reports." Business Law Editor: Beth Mann. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. 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