Business briefs

REGION

24 communities to benefit from aggregation contracts

AKRON — FirstEnergy Solutions, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., said it will provide discounted generation prices to 24 communities who have signed governmental aggregation contracts, including Boardman and Trumbull County.

The governmental aggregator may choose between two agreements — a graduated discount or a flat percentage discount.

The graduated discount plan offers savings of 10 percent in 2009, 6 percent in 2010, 5 percent in 2011 and 4 percent in 2012. The flat-rate percentage contract offers a 6 percent discount on generation prices through the end of the contract.

WORLD

Canadian Auto Workers return to bargaining table

TORONTO — The head of the Canadian Auto Workers said Thursday that the federal and Ontario governments are pressing the union to come up with a new cost-cutting labor agreement with General Motors Canada or risk losing government assistance and liquidation.

Ken Lewenza said the governments have set a deadline of May 15 for the two sides to agree on a deal to replace the pact that was negotiated in March. The government has asked the union to give GM Canada the same concessions that it recently gave Chrysler Canada. It is the third time the union and GM have been asked to head back to the bargaining table this year.

From Vindicator and staff reports