BlackBerry rival claims politics
The latest volley in a bitter legal feud over the popular BlackBerry came Thursday when tiny patent holder NTP Inc. accused the wireless e-mail device’s maker, Research In Motion Ltd., of using its political clout to try to sway the U.S. Patent Office.
“NTP believes that RIM has utilized its money, power and political influence to overcome its complete defeat in the court system and to inappropriately influence the U.S. Patent Office process,” Arlington-based NTP said in a statement Thursday.
NTP’s comments in this he-said, she-said spat came one day before a federal judge in Richmond hears arguments on a possible injunction on U.S. BlackBerry sales and service. Analysts believe an actual BlackBerry blackout is highly unlikely, but the uncertainties in the case are rattling some of the more than 3 million BlackBerry users in this country.
Washington
AFL-CIO nurses forming bloc
Nurses from eight AFL-CIO unions are banding together in hopes of increasing their political and organizing strength, leaders announced Thursday.
The move foreshadows more coalitions within specific industries as organized labor attempts to regain clout.
About 200,000 nurses, describing themselves as RNs Working Together, are bidding to become the first union members to form such a group – called an industry coordinating committee – within the AFL-CIO. The AFL-CIO executive council will vote on recognizing the nurses’ group during its winter meeting in San Diego next week.
Chicago
Continental plans to add capacity
Continental Airlines Inc. expects to expand route capacity in both the domestic and international markets this year, President Jeff Smisek said Thursday.
Houston-based Continental expects overall capacity to rise about 8 percent, with domestic business expanding 4 percent, at a time when most big airlines are cutting U.S. capacity, Smisek said in a Webcast of an airline investor conference in New York sponsored by JP Morgan.
Other domestic expansion will include more connecting flights to international routes. By the end of 2006, 47 percent of Continental’s business will be in international markets.
Detroit
ACH offering worker buyouts
Automotive Components Holdings LLC, a holding company managed by Ford Motor Co., is offering buyout and early retirement packages to about 3,500 hourly workers at plants Ford took back from its former subsidiary, Visteon Corp., an ACH spokeswoman said Thursday.
Last year, Ford took responsibility for most of Visteon’s North American factories in an effort to keep the auto supplier out of bankruptcy. Ford won United Auto Workers approval to cut 5,000 jobs through buyouts and early retirement.