OHIO

OHIO
Possible Delphi closing
VANDALIA -- Delphi Corp. told employees Friday of an operation that makes automotive products that it will be closed unless changes are made to reduce operating costs.
The Thermal & amp; Interior plant in this Dayton suburb employs about 400 people, and makes products such as door trim, door panels, instrument panels and airbags.
No deadline was given for the possible closing, said Lindsey Williams, a spokesman at Delphi's headquarters in Troy, Mich. Williams said management was working with United Steelworkers Union Local 87L, which represents hourly workers at the plant, to address the issues needed to reduce operating costs.
Williams declined to discuss the company's demands or the targets for the cost reduction. A message seeking comment was left at a number listed for the union office.
In September, Delphi announced that it would lay off about 100 Thermal & amp; Interior workers because of reduced demand from automakers.
Two years ago, the plant employed 690 hourly workers and 72 salaried workers. But 190 workers were permanently laid off in December 2002 because a vehicle that the plant built parts for was discontinued.
In January 2003, Delphi placed four of its nine Dayton-area plants in its new Automotive Holdings Group, a division for the company's underperforming businesses. During the past seven years, Delphi's Dayton-area work force was cut from 15,000 to 8,700.
PENNSYLVANIA
New president, officer
PITTSBURGH -- Equitable Resources has hired the head of an Alaskan petroleum company as president of its natural gas distribution business and an officer of the energy company.
As president of Equitable Supply, Diane Prier will lead the largest natural gas supplier in the Appalachian basin, with 12,000 wells and 2.1 trillion cubic feet of reserves.
Before joining Equitable Supply, Prier was president of Williams Alaska Petroleum Inc., a subsidiary of The Williams Companies, an oil and natural gas exploration and production company.
Growing expenses
WARRENDALE -- More patients stayed longer in western Pennsylvania hospitals this year compared to last year, but hospitals also treated more patients for free, dragging down results for the region's 56 medical centers, according to a report.
Admissions increased by 2.7 percent at the hospitals and patients stayed 1.7 percent longer, but hospitals also provided $258 million of uncompensated care, up from $210 million last year, according to the Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania's annual report released Friday.
The hospitals' expenses also climbed 6.1 percent, mostly from salaries and benefits for employees.
"Hospitals in our region still face increasing expenses related to their missions of providing care for everyone who needs it in their communities, while also working to recruit and retain their employees," said Walter K. Wayne, chief financial officer of Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania.
Alcoa contracts OK'd
PITTSBURGH -- Union workers at two Alcoa plants approved three-year contracts with the world's largest aluminum maker that includes paying for health care and benefits, the company said.
Under the contracts, workers at the aluminum maker's plant in Tifton, Ga., and automotive casting plant in Hawesville, Ky., will join Alcoa's "Select Benefits" plan. More than 20,000 Alcoa employees are enrolled in the plan and on average they pay $72 a month for health care, said Alcoa spokesman Kevin Lowery.
Alcoa is the world's largest aluminum producer, with 120,000 employees in 43 countries.
Associated Press
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