Business briefs for June 6, 2003

Friday, June 6, 2003 | 10:01 a.m.

Labor dispute erupts at center

More than 300 union members rallied Thursday at U-Haul of Nevada Inc.'s truck repair center in Henderson after several workers said they were fired allegedly for supporting a National Labor Relations Board-held election on behalf of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

The Machinists won an election on May 7 to represent 78 mechanics at two U-Haul repair centers at 1900 S. Decatur Blvd. and 989 S. Boulder Highway.

U-Haul spokeswoman Jennifer Flackman said the company is contesting the election and denied workers were fired for supporting the union.

Former CFO could face prison

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp.'s former financial chief could face up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy. Franklyn Bergonzi, 57, the drugstore chain's ex-CFO, pleaded guilty to one count and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Prosecutors say Bergonzi and other top company executives falsified Rite Aid's books to inflate the stock price, which eventually resulted in the company's $1.6 billion restatement of earnings in July 2000.

Firm offering long distance deals

Sprint Corp. said it's offering unlimited, flat-rate long distance service to Las Vegas-area customers.

The bundled service is being offered in three packages. For about $90, customers can receive unlimited local and long distance service as well as a high-speed Internet connection. Other packages are available for $60 and $70.

Las Vegas is the first Sprint market to receive the long distance offer. Spokeswoman Detra Page said the plan aims to counter the loss of long-distance callers who use mobile phones for long distance service.

Hospital CEO indicted

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Tenet Healthcare Corp. said today that the chief executive at one of its hospitals in San Diego County has been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Barry Weinbaum, 49, who oversees Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, was indicted late Thursday by a grand jury in San Diego, Tenet said in a statement.

The statement did not say what the charges were but said they apparently are in connection to payments under physician relocation agreements that were made several years ago with a group practice that included a doctor who was convicted of Medicare fraud in an unrelated case in 2001.

Tenet owns Lake Mead Hospital in North Las Vegas.