The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 15

pcnoN The Kansas City Star SEMJHGHT SELECTS CHIEF Charles Marcy a former Quaker Oats and executive becomes Sealright president Aug 14 B-2 P-JJ rndqft My 28 1995 DOW JONES NASDAQ AMEX 30-YEAR I T-BOND YIELD Union merger a of the Drop ban regulate Local labor leaders support joining of UAW Steelworkers Machinists Consolidation will create largest union in the country and help labor groups cope with changes By KEVIN GALVIN The Associated Press By RANDOLPH HEASTER Staff Writer WASHINGTON Leaders of the auto steel and machinists unions faced with declining memberships business mergers and an increasingly hostile political environment chose consolidation to cope with the changing economy Analysts say about time The United Auto Workers the United Steelworkers of America and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said Thursday they would merge by the year 2000 forming a 2-imllion-member organization real question is how come only beginning to happen now? Why has it taken so long for said Ken Goldstein an economist with the Conference Board a business research group in New York A merger would eliminate the duplicate organizing and lobbying efforts But more is at stake than that is hardly about trying to address situation but rather to try to position themselves to be an influence and be a force Goldstein said influence has declined since unionism peaked in 1954 when unions represented 347 percent of all non-farm workers Today that number is just 15 percent See UNIONS B-7 Col 1 Area labor leaders applauded the idea of merging three of the strongest unions and one organized labor observer said it could become a watershed in the American labor movement They were reacting to announcement by the United Auto Workers the United Steelworkers of America and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers unions that they plan to merge by the year 2000 creating the biggest union with 2 million members While the decision took most local union leaders by surprise they agreed that a merger could be beneficial obviously something that the International has been working on for quite some said Brad Robertson president of Machinists Local 1650 can only strengthen our position in the labor community and industrial An international officer for the Steelworkers agreed saying such a move would help American labor in dealing United Auto Workers President Stephen Yokich (left) Machinists union President George Kourpias and Steelworkers President George Becker made an agreement Thursday that will create the largest labor organization one union I think be heard strength in Several union mergers in recent months have involved smaller organizations being swallowed by a larger One One See MERGER B-7 Col 1 with corporations one way to combat the things management has been doing to said Jack Gauld director of the sub-district office in Independence 2 million members united into AND THE WINNER IS Agency asks for scrutiny Gas-pump testing under investigation by Kansas officials sells off used equipment Goodbye to gear means good buys for many seeking a deal By GENE MEYER Staff Writer fireworks Mayor Emanuel call to repeal Kansas general ban on the sale and use of fireworks deserves serious consideration for both economic and social reasons While the issue only gets talked about during the Independence Day celebration Cleaver should be encouraged to pursue his recently stated wish to legalize regulate and tax fireworks contention is that the fireworks policy may cause more problems than it solves He of course acknowledges that fireworks can cause injuries and fires At the same time however Cleaver questions whether the ban effectively diminishes the threat of personal injury and community damage Since bottle rockets are perceived as the most dangerous device Cleaver says easier access to a variety of less dangerous products may serve to lessen the use of projectile-type fireworks In other words if government has the power to regulate what is conveniently available to his consumers it can indirectly modify behavior in a way that curbs the use of fireworks posing the greatest threat ito the community Moreover since fireworks are sold in nearby communities Kansas City denies itself the economic benefit of the tax revenue lost by banning the sale of fireworks As Cleaver points out however that the only negative economic consequence of making illegal something that many otherwise law-abiding citizens use routinely The volume of fireworks-related calls the mayor said has a paralyzing effect on law-enforcement efforts He believe rational to tie up police manpower to chase fireworks users when serious criminals should be the top priority Cleaver is right on all counts but the issue is about more than fireworks use really about the tyranny of nanny contingent whose last refuge in every policy debate is their claim to creating a safer society The use of fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday is as American as mom and apple pie rare for an American to come of age without having set off fireworks While unfortunate accidents happen to a relative few the tradition continues unabated Wherever fireworks bans exist they have no preventive effect because most Americans behave as if they exist Therefore what sense does it make to have the fireworks prohibition in the first place? In many respects fireworks bans are like interstate speed limits The current opposition to liberalizing speed laws is based yet again on the claim that speed is unsafe If this were so however there would be more highway deaths than is the case because so few people obey speed limits If you believe this drive any interstate highway at the posted limit and see how many cars pass you compared with the cars you pass The only consequence of raising the speed limit would be to legalize the driving behavior of most Americans And so it is with fireworks When community leaders legalize fireworks their action merely embraces existing social norms By making fireworks legal the community gains not only economically but also socially by restoring respect for the law Perhaps the worst aspect of bad law is that it teaches impressionable young people the law to be respected because at odds with widely accepted behavior Jerry column appears Wednesday Friday Saturday and Sunday To share a comment call 816889-7827 and enter 2301 Send e-mail including a telephone number to heast-e(w kcstarnetcom other union members sought also she said bought seven of them It was a great opportunity to upgrade our office here at the local really pleased with what we were able to Olivares said Other shoppers and spectators calculated that buyers generally paid the equivalent of want-ad prices for like-new equipment having the mid- and upper-range capacity that most homes and offices require The auction featured more than 1000 personal computer systems with power and capacities that ranged from office basic up to needed for the latest CD-ROM and multimedia applications However none of the gear included software needed to run the systems and some of the packages clearly identified include all the equipment either In an unscientific sampling near the end of the sale the consensus was that some bidders got excellent values but few felt they really got a steal The sale also included about 200 pieces of assorted electronics-production equipment that formerly used in Summit manufacturing operations Selling those tools does not mean further operational reductions are planned said Mike Jacobs an spokesman in New Jersey The equipment sold Thursday simply needed to do the work that continues there he said remain committed to staying in Summit for the Jacobs said More than 700 bargain hunters turned out Thursday for the biggest high-tech garage sale that the Kansas City area has seen in years Corj) and Koll-Dove Global Disposition Services auctioned off what was estimated to be more than $1 million worth of personal and business computer gear and surplus electronics-production equipment at Microelectronics plant in Summit The purpose of the sale was to clear out equipment no longer needed because manufacturing operations at the plant have been cut significantly in the last few years The company said the sale was not an omen of further cuts was a very successful said Bruce Baird a regional vice president of Koll-Dove the California auction firm conducting the event Neither nor Koll-Dove disclosed how much money the auction brought in for the communications giant But observers early in the sale watched winning bidders offer from $8 for computer mouse pads to $36500 for a sophisticated industrial furnace most of the people there probably came for the said Catie Olivares of Communications Workers of America Local 6450 Computers werewhat she and By STEVE EVERLY Staff Writer The Kansas agency that tests fuel pumps for accuracy and whether gasoline has the correct octane level is facing investigations of its performance and allegations of criminal wrongdoing Kansas Department of Agriculture officials on Wednesday requested that the Legislative Post Audit Committee make a full review of its Weights and Measures Division The committee which is the investigative arm agreed and expects to start the work in September The Weights and Measures Division tests the accuracy of gasoline pumps at service stations and of scales such as those used in grocery stores In addition it tests fuel for octane level and a few impurities But Agriculture Department officials said that they looked at compliance figures reported by the division and were unable to back them up with the inspection reports having a lot of trouble finding out what the real compliance figures said Carole Jordan spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture The Legislative Post Audit Committee will look at the compliance rates and if gasoline is measured accurately in Kansas In addition it will study whether the state has a lower level of octane-level compliance than surrounding states Although hard to detect without testing selling regular fuel out of premium pumps has been a recurring problem in the petroleum industry especially in states without rigorous testing programs according to consumer groups The audit investigation is expected to start after another investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing Mary Horsch a spokeswoman for the Kansas attorney general said Thursday that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation is looking at possible criminal violations involving the program She declined to elaborate but said the investigation started in early July Agriculture Department officials however have been concerned over a dispute between Agriculture Secretary Allie Devine and a department employee currently on leave Devine has been assigned a bodyguard Jordan said there was likely a connection between those concerns and the KBI investigation but declined to comment further No date was given for the completion of the KBI investigation When it is completed the Kansas attorney general will decide whether to pursue the case further The Associated Press contributi to this article After his successful bid on computers Marty Wilson No 582 held his number high for the auctioneer to see on Thursday in a public sale at Microelectronics plant in Summit Peners taking latest concept into Johnson County center Loehmann's Plaza to be site of Discount Suit Mart By JOYCE SMITH Staff Writer Side-impact requirement set for vans trucks Tht AmocMmI Pims WASHINGTON Side-impact protection will be required on vans light trucks and sports utility vehicles starting Sept 1 1998 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Thursday Stronger doors and padding to protect from side impact began being phased in for automobiles in 1993 all new cars will be required to have the protections by Sqt 1 1996 The utility vehicles light trucks and vans weighing under 6000 pounds currently meet most of the same safety rules as automobiles the agency noted Imposition of the side-impact rule will make the major safety regulations the same for all to open in early October in Loehmann's Plaza 8977 Metcalf Ave Overland Park The 8000-square-foot space formerly housed Contemporary Concepts which has moved to theXa Paloma Shopping Center in Overland Park The new store will offer high-quality fashions American and European including Italian at discount prices There will be 8000 suits plus sportcoats outerwear slacks dress and sports shirts sweaters top coats accessories and dress casual and athletic shoes It also will have a formal wear department is always exciting to develop new concepts and open new stores that build on my Pener said Pener said he selected because it is accessible and well-known three Nocks away from the busiest intersection in the state of Pener said The center also is undergoing a multimillion dollar I See PENERS B-7 Col 5 The Pener family has been attiring men since the late Sam Pener opened the Peners Goth- MJffPPJJWJS ing Shoes and Luggage son Harold en- Pj I A nfl tered the business in 1947 and later founded Todds Mens Wear a forerunner 1 rjj I LX of JP Todds Mens Wear InJ and Jordan Windsor He 1 1 now owns several Harold Pener Mens Wear stores Harold Pener and his two sons are launching i another corporation and concept The Discount Suit Mart by Harold Pener scheduled.