Business News Digest

REGION
Negotiations resumefor union at GM plant
LORDSTOWN -- Negotiators were back at the table Thursday to work on a new contract for skilled trades workers at the General Motors' car assembly plant here.
Ben Strickland, shop chairman for United Auto Workers Local 1112, wouldn't disclose what happened at negotiations but said the talks will continue until the two sides reach an agreement.
Brandon Michaels, one of the union official leading the talks, said Wednesday that he walked out of the negotiations in a dispute over how overtime is handled in the plant. He had said talks wouldn't resume until the matter was settled.
Strickland said, however, that he wouldn't characterize Wednesday's dispute as a disruption in talks and he is confident the overtime issue would be resolved.
Dominion plans increasein rate for natural gas
AKRON -- Dominion East Ohio will increase the rate it charges customers for natural gas by 1.1 cents to 9 per thousand cubic feet, effective April 17. The rate is set monthly based on an auction by suppliers. The rate is charged only to customers who buy gas directly from the utility. The rate is 71.8 cents, or 7 percent, less than the rate in place at the same time last year.
Under the new rate, the average residential customer's bill for April would be 104.50, down from 108.65 in April 2006. The delivery or transportation rate of 2.46 per thousand cubic feet is the same for all customers.
From Vindicator staff reports