Kroger, union agree on 4-year contract

The Kroger Co. and a union representing 9,500 employees said Friday they had agreed on a new four-year contract.

The contract covers employees of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1995 in northern Alabama, southern Kentucky and eastern Tennessee.

Kroger said the contract provides benefits and wages comparable to those of other retailers.

Apple shares fall nearly 4 percent

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Shares of Apple Computer Inc. fell nearly 4 percent Friday, a day after the company announced a delay in the release of the next-generation iMac.

The company said it has stopped taking orders for existing iMac models, even though the replacement model won't be available until September. That means Apple will miss the back-to-school rush, a critical sales period for computer makers.

Steelworkers union to abide by ruling

The independent union representing hourly workers at AK Steel's Middletown Works said Friday it would abide by an arbitrator's ruling upholding the company's suspension of minimum workforce levels at the mill.

But the Armco Employees Independent Federation, said the ruling only suspends the provision, calling for a minimum workforce of 3,114 in the mill until May 10, 2005. The union said the press release left the impression the company was free to lay off workers. The ruling, the union said, "did not extend this right (to lay off ) any workers with greater than two years of seniority.''

The company, which says it needs union concessions to rebound from nearly $1 billion in losses over the last three years, says it has cut 125 jobs through attrition since January.

Wire/staff reports