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

DATE: THURSDAY, January 13, 1994                   TAG: 9401130122
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS

Cardinal Cabinet Corp., with headquarters on Salem Avenue in Roanoke, said Wednesday it has been sold to Meyer Laminates Georgia Inc., a subsidiary of Meyer USA Inc. of West Palm Beach, Fla., an operating unit of Meyer International PLC of London.

Roanokers Dick and Elaine Baynton, who founded Cardinal in 1975, will remain with the company. Dick Baynton, who was president, will become general manager of Virginia operations. Elaine Baynton, who has been treasurer, will be personnel director. Jim Baynton, son of the founders, remains director of sales and his wife, Peggy Baynton, is customer service supervisor.

Cardinal employs 80 people in Roanoke and Richmond and has annual sales of more than $9 million. A spokesman said no changes are expected in the operations when the new owner assumes control Jan. 31. - Staff report

Thermometer- pacifiers recalled

WASHINGTON - A Washington state company is recalling 340 pacifier-thermometers because government testing shows they pose a potential choking hazard to infants and young children.

The devices were sold nationwide under the Dubby brand name through pharmacies and mail-order companies from April to August, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. Each sold for up to $12.50, the commission said.

The pacifiers have a built-in thermometer that displays the temperature of the baby sucking on the nipple. They are pink or blue and were sold in blue boxes with a window front.

During routine testing, the nipples separated from the base of the devices, the commission said Tuesday. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should take the devices away from children immediately and return them to stores or mail-order firms for a full refund, the commission said.

Consumers with questions about the recall should call the company at (800) 531-5486.

- Associated Press

Connecticut gives workers pay parity

HARTFORD, Conn. - About 21,700 female and minority state workers who have received unequal pay for years will receive raises and job upgrades, state and labor union officials agreed Wednesday.

It will cost the state $18.5 million to compensate workers for unequal pay caused by various contracts among the bargaining units of state employee unions.

For example, women working in female-dominated jobs were paid about $1,000 less per year than men in white-male-dominated jobs of the same scale, and minorities received about $2,000 less per year.

"The matter of pay equity is one that's given a good deal of lip service. Now it's a fact of life," Gov. Lowell Weicker said at a news conference.

"There's no reason in the world why on the basis of sex or race there ought to be pay discrimination," he said. "This marks the end of it in our state."

The agreement must be approved by the Legislature and ratified by state employee union members. Legislative leaders expect it to pass easily.

More than 50,000 people work for the state.

The agreement, reached after more than eight months of negotiations, is to take effect July 1, 1995. It also would create a committee to monitor pay equity and study the way the state creates and classifies jobs.

- Associated Press

Briefly . . .

The board of Central Fidelity Banks Inc. voted Wednesday for a 12 percent increase in the quarterly cash dividend to 28 cents a share. The new annual rate is $1.12 a share. The dividend will be paid April 1 to shareholders on March 18.

Poindexter/Bolt said Wednesday it has been named advertising agency for broadcast creative production and media placement by Moore's Lumber & Building Supplies. Moore's, based in Roanoke, operates 58 stores in 10 states. Moore's own advertising staff will continue to manage its print media advertising. Poindexter/Bolt, also based in Roanoke, was formed recently when two agencies, Poindexter Associates and Bolt Inc., merged operations.

Babcock & Wilcox Government Group in Lynchburg said Wednesday it will lay off 46 salaried employees from its advanced systems division. The action is the result of cancellation of several government contracts, including nuclear power propulsion systems for deep space exploration and Department of Energy programs, the company said. It is the second job reduction by the company this month. Earlier, 40 employees accepted either retirement or severance benefits packages.