October 27, 1999 8:32 AM, EDT

A.M. Executive Briefing - Oct. 27

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This Morning's Headlines:

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Manager Fired by Company Supports Teamsters on Strike

Truck Lanes a Viable Idea, Study Suggests

UPS, eHatchery Put Eggs in Same Basket

Truckers Tired of 'Going Backwards' Seek Raises

PLM International Reports 40 Percent Increase in Third Quarter Revenues from Continuing Operations

Reflective Markings Required for Transport Trailers

Manager Fired by Company Supports Teamsters on Strike

Dale Watson, who was fired last week from Overnite Transportation where he was a Memphis operations manager, said in a telephone conference that the company had fired employees for supporting unionization. The telephone conference was set up by the Teamsters union.

Company managers kept a "hit list" of union backers and fired "several hundred" Memphis employees, Watson alleges. Company spokesman Ira Rosenfeld denied the accusations and said Watson was dismissed "for poor performance," and officials at the carrier say Watson is trying to get revenge for the firing.

Watson, who has also filed an affidavit, additionally charges that Overnite meted out demerits to union backers, but not opponents, for slight tardiness in getting to work. [A Tuesday Associated Press report by Bill Baskervill quoted Rosenfeld as saying Watson was so tough on workers that the company stopped him from disciplining them.] New York Times (10/27/99) P. A18; Greenhouse, Steven

Truck Lanes a Viable Idea, Study Suggests

A Texas Transportation Institute study says limiting trucks to two lanes would be workable on 59% of highways in Houston, and keeping them from the leftmost lane on 85%, but keeping them in the rightmost lane would be viable on a mere 38%.

Carroll Robinson, a city council member concerned about many recent car-truck crashes, has proposed keeping trucks in certain lanes. But the study says the idea would not necessarily increase safety and mentions some ways to dissuade truckers from using the left lane while not being as restrictive. Houston Chronicle (10/26/99) P. 15A; Asher, Ed

UPS, eHatchery Put Eggs in Same Basket

United Parcel Service will invest in the Internet business incubator eHatchery in a strategic alliance between the two companies. UPS Professional Services employees will also consult eHatchery on logistics for different fledgling e-businesses. Many online businesses use UPS OnLine Tools and UPS Internet Tools to add such services as fulfillment information-sharing and shipment tracking to their Web sites. PR Newswire (10/26/99)

Truckers Tired of 'Going Backwards' Seek Raises

Roughly 20 independent drivers picketed a mile from the Allenport, Pa., facility of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, saying the company will not bargain with them on a pay hike. In 1998, the rate paid to the truckers for each 100 pounds was reduced to 41 cents.

One trucker cited higher operations costs for trucks, and another said the company explained the pay cut by saying "the price of transporting steel is going up because of the increase in rail transportation." A Tuesday meeting between the company and truckers was set for 2 p.m. Valley Independent (Western Pa.) Online (10/26/99) ; Igoe, Robert

PLM International Reports 40 Percent Increase in Third Quarter Revenues from Continuing Operations

PLM International, whose operations include trailer leasing, says it saw $9.9 million in third-quarter consolidated revenues from continuing operations, up 40% from the year-earlier quarter, with operating income up 226% to $2.3 million and continuing-operations net income of $1 million, a $0.9 million increase.

Third-quarter continuing-operations earnings per share, both basic and diluted, was 12 cents, an 11 cent increase. The company saw $25.5 million in consolidated revenues from continuing operations in the first nine months, a 14% rise from the comparable 1998 period, with operating income of $5 million, up 53%, and $1.2 million in continuing-operations net income, up 10%.

Continuing-operations earnings per share in the first nine months, both basic and diluted, were 15 cents, a two cent increase. The total share of revenues from PLM Trailer Leasing operations was $7.3 million in the third quarter,a $4.2 million year-to-year rise, and $16.3 million for the first nine months, a $9.2 million year-to-year rise. Third-quarter average investment in trailers rose to $92.1 million from $44.7 million. PR Newswire (10/26/99)

Reflective Markings Required for Transport Trailers

The province of Alberta is to require that trailers over 4,500 kilograms or 2.05 meters in width and built prior to 1997 meet the reflective-marking standard set by Transport Canada in 1997. The deadline for trailers made in December 1993 or later is Jan. 1 of next year, while the deadline for trailers made before then is the first day of 2002. Daily Herald-Tribune (Grande Prairie, Alberta) Online (10/26/99)