CATALOG WORKERS TO PROTEST

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 21, 1992                   TAG: 9202210109
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
CATALOG WORKERS TO PROTEST
Mail-order companies are planning a protest in Roanoke this afternoon and are delivering busloads of catalog workers to United Parcel Service's hub on Thirlane Road. The catalogers are angry over planned rate increases by UPS.
Officials of Joan Cook Inc., a Salem catalog company, have received an assembly permit from the city of Roanoke "to create awareness of UPS rate hike." The permit allows the employees to assemble from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the UPS hub near Roanoke Regional Airport.
One employee of Joan Cook said he and fellow workers were told they "will be fired on the spot if we chose not to go." The worker would not give his name and company officials could not be reached Thursday for comment.
Joan Cook has asked nearby competitors to join the protest. Representatives of Orvis and perhaps Telebrands, formerly CorPac, may join the crowd.
Home Shopping Network, Orvis and Tweeds recently shifted most of their shipments from UPS to the U.S. Postal Service. This led to unconfirmed reports of layoffs at the UPS hub in Roanoke.
UPS on Monday will raise its rates about 15 percent, atop a 25 percent increase last year. The largest of the increases would be for delivery of merchandise to consumers' homes, the heart of the mail-order business.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB