LOS ANGELES — Major Hollywood unions were lining up behind TV and film writers Tuesday as last-minute contract talks resumed amid fears of a possible strike.
A powerful branch of the Teamsters union told its 4,500 members they can honor picket lines if TV and film writers strike after their contract expires at midnight tonight.
Teamsters Local 399 said in a Web posting that as a union, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts with producers. But the local, which represents truck drivers, casting directors and location managers, said the clause does not apply to individuals, who are protected by federal law from employer retribution if they decide to honor picket lines.
Additional business news briefs:
GMAC office closes today
BOULDER — As part of a 25 percent cut in its worldwide workforce, GMAC Residential Capital will shutter its Boulder office today, spokesman Brett Weinberg said.
The Boulder branch employed five people, four of whom are without a job. The other was retained by GMAC Mortgage, Weinberg said. Customers of the Boulder office will be served by GMAC’s Fort Collins branch, Weinberg said.
Nine GMAC mortgage offices remain open in Colorado.
Milk drinker sues dairy
A Carbondale woman has filed suit against Boulder-based Aurora Organic Dairy, claiming she was duped into paying high prices for milk that was sold as organic but wasn’t.
The federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Denver by Elizabeth Cockrell seeks class-action status for anyone who purchased Horizon and Organic Valley milk and who, the suit claims, was actually buying run-of-the-mill milk.
The suit against one of the nation’s largest organic-milk producers comes a week after two St. Louis residents sued the company with similar claims.
Aurora Organic officials could not be reached Tuesday about the Denver suit but have said they would fight the St. Louis case and that consumers were not misled.
The company two months ago settled a U.S. Department of Agriculture investigation into complaints of its organic certification, which involves how much organic feed the milk cows must consume. The agreement included selling off 1,000 cows that were in question.
Jewelry chain declares bankruptcy
NEW YORK — Four Points Corp., a retail jeweler with stores in eight U.S. states, including Colorado, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors, citing increased competition.
Four Points, which operates under the names Brendan Jewelers, J.C. Keepsake Diamonds and Only Diamonds, has $26.8 million in assets and $52.1 million in debt, according to a petition filed Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.
Dell restates years of profits
ROUND ROCK, TEXAS — Dell Inc. reduced profits by $92 million in restated earnings filed with regulators Tuesday.
The restated earnings were first announced two months ago after a yearlong internal investigation found employees had misled auditors and manipulated results to meet performance goals for more than four years.
The affected earnings reports covered fiscal years 2003 through 2006, as well as the first quarter of fiscal 2007.
Applebee’s shareholders swallow buyout by
IHOP OVERLAND PARK, KAN. — Shareholders of the bar-and- grill chain Applebee’s International Inc. on Tuesday approved a $1.9 billion buyout offer from pancake house operator IHOP Corp.
