AK Steel, union in agreement

AK Steel said yesterday it has reached a tentative settlement with the International Association of Machinists at its Middletown, Ohio, plant that would end a year-old lockout fought over the steelmaker's demands for lower labor costs. The proposed contract still must be ratified by some 1,700 workers. Union members twice last year voted to reject company offers. The new agreement would run through Sept. 15, 2011. No other details of the tentative settlement were immediately available.

Energy fund seeks clients

The Dollar Energy Fund begins accepting applications today for its Hardship Program. A dozen Pennsylvania utilities participate in the program to provide assistance to low-income customers for their gas, electric and water bills. To qualify, customers must be at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines ($3,333 per month for a family of four). Full program guidelines can be found at www.dollarenergy.org.

Bush would veto labor bill

President Bush would veto legislation championed by Democrats and labor groups that would make it easier to organize unions by eliminating employer rights to demand secret-ballot elections, the White House said yesterday. The House is to vote on the Employee Free Choice Act today and, with help from pro-labor Republicans from the Northeast, it is almost certain to pass. But the margin of support is expected to fall well short of the two-thirds needed to overturn a veto.

CompUSA closing local store

Electronics retailer CompUSA plans to close its Wilkins store as part of a corporate restructuring that will include shuttering four Pennsylvania stores and more than 120 stores nationally. The store closings are expected to take 60 to 90 days. The Dallas chain, which also has a store in Robinson, cited the need to cut expenses and focus on best-performing sites as reasons for the closings.

Burson promotes veteran

Public relations firm Burson-Marsteller has tapped the longtime creative director of its Pittsburgh office as managing director and chief creative officer of its Marsteller division's U.S. region. Jody Lange, 56, will report to Andrew Nibley, chairman and chief executive officer of the division. The unit focuses on advertising, design, production and interactive work. Marsteller's U.S. offices include locations in New York, Chicago, Dallas and Washington, D.C.

US Airways refinancing debt

US Airways said yesterday it planned to refinance up to $1.6 billion in loans and unsecured debt through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding Inc. Company officials said they wanted to refinance $1.25 billion in loans originally from Airbus, General Electric and the federal Air Transportation Stabilization Board's loan program. The carrier also plans to refinance $325 million in unsecured debt stemming from America West's acquisition of US Airways in 2005.

Verizon pushes TV dreams

Construction is under way for Verizon's new video hub office in the Strip District, which will enable the company to offer television over its FiOS fiber-optic network. Television service in selected municipalities is scheduled to start in the last three months of this year, and the company hopes to start signing franchise agreements with local municipalities in May or June, said Paul Lacouture, executive vice president of engineering and technology.

Also in business ...

The Air Line Pilots Association filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the merger of the old US Airways and America West until management completes a single contract for both pilot groups ... Mylan Laboratories said it has begun to market quinapril tablets, the generic versions of Pfizer Inc.'s Accupril and Accuretic tablets. The drugs are used to treat high blood pressure ... Bayer AG said it would cut 950 jobs in Berlin as part of a plan to save $925 million a year starting in 2009.