REGION

REGION
Wheatland Tube, unionto hold contract talks
WHEATLAND, Pa. -- Wheatland Tube Co. and striking Local 1660 of the United Steelworkers of America will hold a bargaining session at Monday. The 470 members of Local 1660 have been on strike since the April 28 expiration of their old contract. A company insistence that workers begin paying a share of their health insurance premiums and a proposed change in pension plans are the main stumbling blocks to a settlement. The meeting is being held under the direction of Pat Mingarelli, federal mediator.
USW elects officersat Parker Hannifin
YOUNGSTOWN -- United Steelworkers of America Local 2332-1 have elected new officers to terms that expire in May 2006. The union represents workers at Parker Hannifin's Youngstown plant. They are: Mike Thompson, president; Joe Granchie, vice president and unit chairman; Dave Hight, recording secretary; Joe Sefchik, financial secretary; Rodger Sample, treasurer; Joe Paolini, chief shop steward; Dave Norris, inside guard; Dave Fry, outside guard and unit grievanceman; Sam Clawson, guide; Tim Fryfogle, Angie Madeline and Butch Montgomery, trustee; Larry Fry, unit recording secretary; Berchindle Foster, hydraulic steward; and Van Staples, foundry steward.
Howard Hanna musclesinto Cleveland market
PITTSBURGH -- Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, which is based in Pittsburgh and has several offices in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys, has acquired Ohio's second-largest real estate company, Smythe, Cramer Co. The deal with the Cleveland area company makes Howard Hanna the ninth-largest real estate company in North America.
Mediator orders talks
EAST LIVERPOOL -- A federal mediator has ordered striking nurses and East Liverpool City Hospital officials to resume bargaining Friday. Michelle Prater, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Nurses Association, the union representing the 177 nurses, said this morning that the union is trying to confirm reports that the hospital has hired a Denver company to provide replacement workers for the strikers. A hospital spokeswoman was unavailable this morning to comment.
From Vindicator staff reports