2nd Titan labor vote nears
NATCHEZ, Miss. - Members of United Steelworkers Local 303 were slated to vote Dec. 9 for the second time on a new five-year contract with Titan International Inc. at the company's Natchez tire plant.
The local - on strike since Sept. 15, 1998 - rejected a previous company offer on Oct. 2. Local 303 President Leo T. Bradley said the two sides worked out the issues the members were concerned about, including the current state of the plant, payroll benefit deductions and vacation time.
Bayer to sell two units
LEVERKUSEN, Germany - Bayer A.G. plans to sell its Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH polymer additives and PolymerLatex GmbH & Co. businesses, in line with a corporate restructuring through which it will combine its rubber, plastics and polyurethanes activities into one business unit.
Merging the rubber, plastics, PU and coatings/colorants business groups will create one of the world's largest polymers firms, Bayer said.