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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 24, 1995                   TAG: 9505240087
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - United Rubber Workers have ended their 10-month strike against Bridgestone-Firestone Inc., but many of the 2,300 strikers may no longer have jobs.

Bridgestone-Firestone will determine within the next few days how many jobs will be available at each of the five plants that had striking workers, company spokesman Trevor Hoskins said Tuesday.

The company hired about 2,500 workers since January, many of whom were replacement workers, he said. Employees who are not called back will be placed on preferential hiring lists, he said.

More than 4,000 employees went on strike in July and about 2,300 were still out just before the strike ended. At the time of the walkout, workers had been without a contract since April 23.

- Associated Press

Bunker Hill cannery has new owner

The Smithfield Cos. announced plans to sell its Bunker Hill stew and chili cannery in Bedford to Castle-berry/Snow's Brands Inc. The 150-employee plant will continue to operate, Smithfield said Tuesday.

Smithfield, a speciality-food manufacturer based in Portsmouth, said it has agreed in principle to sell the plant for $12.9 million. Smithfield, which bought the plant in 1985, has chosen to concentrate on specialized goods such as hams and peanuts, said Mark Bedard, chief financial officer.

Castleberry, based in Augusta, Ga., is a competing stew and chili maker, he said.

- Staff report

First Union to aid nonprofit groups

First Union Corp. has formed a Charitable Funds Services group to help nonprofit organizations manage their financial assets. The group will provide financial planning services, including investment management, tax and investment consultation and specialized accounting for endowments and foundations throughout the south Atlantic region.

First Union said the new unit already manages more than $2 billion in assets for more than 750 organizations, including hospitals, educational and religious organizations and churches, service and cultural organizations, and private community foundations.

- Staff report

Briefly ...

Dr. Lily Hodges, a staff psychiatrist at Lewis-Gale Psychiatric Center in Salem, has moved her private practice to 5007 Carriage Dr. S.W. in Roanoke.

Domestic coal production totaled 19.2 million tons in the week ending May 13, down slightly from 19.3 million tons the previous week, the U.S. Department of Energy reported. The U.S. coal industry produced 19.6 million tons in the same week last year. Coal production so far this year is about 391 million tons, 3.5 percent ahead of last year's at this time.