Staff/wire reports

A workshop backed by the Cincinnati chapter of the American Red Cross on Wednesday promises to help businesses survive natural or man-made disasters.

The Business Emergency Planning Association, the emergency services arm of the American Red Cross, will present the seminar at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the Blue Ash office of the Red Cross.

For more information, call (513) 792-4020.

Markets closed

No stock or mutual fund listings appear today because financial markets were closed Monday in observance of the Presidents Day holiday. Markets will reopen today, and listings will appear Wednesday.

Ind. Kroger union approves contract

Union workers at 15 Kroger stores, mostly in northern Indiana, have approved a new contract, the company said. The agreement with Union Food and Commercial Workers Local 700 covers about 300 nonfood workers and was ratified overwhelmingly. The Indiana stores covered by the agreement are in Elkhart, Goshen, Fort Wayne, LaPorte, Mishawaka, Plymouth, South Bend and Warsaw, along with stores in Defiance, Ohio, and Sturgis, Mich. Kroger said the new contract increased wages and employee contributions for health care.

Fire-resistant glass made in Ohio

A company that sells glass designed to withstand blowtorch flames said its product could help protect buildings from terrorist attacks. Pilkington North America opened a processing facility in Toledo in December to sell the fire-resistant glass, which has been available in Europe for 20 years. The glass is expensive, plant manager Bret Penrod said, and U.S. builders typically use sprinkler systems and other means of fire protection.