REGION

REGION
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STRUTHERS -- Strikers at Astro Shapes planned to meet at the plant at 5 p.m. today and walk to City Hall to raise awareness about their position. A city council meeting is scheduled.
Tony Sevi, persident of United Steelworkers of America 9401, said the workers want people to know they are on strike to protect union jobs. He said the union doesn't mine The union wants new contract language so the company could not reduce union jobs by subcontracting work to outside suppliers. The company said it has proposed such language, but the union said it is not strong enough.
About 320 workers are off the job during the strike, which began Nov. 5.
NATION
J.C. Penney, May profitstop analysts' projections
NEW YORK -- Amid growing optimism that the holiday season will be cheerier than a year ago, two major retailers, J.C. Penney Co. and May Department Stores Co., reported third-quarter profits that beat Wall Street projections.
Penney said Tuesday that its earnings fell 35 percent in the August-October period, dragged down by disappointing results from its Eckerd drugstore division, though its department store business saw improvement. Its results still beat analysts' expectations.
Meanwhile, May's earnings nearly tripled over the same period last year, bolstered by cost savings from its divestiture of 34 underperforming stores.
Merrill Lynch projected a rosier view of the holiday season Tuesday, upgrading nine major retail companies, to a "buy" rating, citing potential earnings surprises and improving sales.
Associated Press