California nurses strike over benefits, staff

OAKLAND, Calif. » Nurses in California went on strike Thursday — some for the second time in three months — in the latest dispute between nurses and hospital management over health care costs, staffing levels and sick leave.

The California Nurses Association — the union behind the one-day walkout — expected 6,000 nurses at nine hospitals in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas to participate, although a hospital official said a "significant number" of nurses had crossed the picket lines.

Sutter spokeswoman Kami Lloyd did not have an exact number of the nurses who went to work but said 63 percent of the nurses at the Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch crossed picket lines, while 59 percent went to work at the Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley. The strike followed a walkout called by the association on Sept. 22 and came on the same day that more than 1,000 nurses in New York City gave notice that they plan to go on strike in January.

Officials at the California hospitals said replacement nurses had been brought in and patient care was not immediately affected.

The San Francisco Bay area hospitals targeted by the nurses are controlled by Sutter Health. The nurses’ contract with Sutter expired about six months ago, and union officials have objected to changes in paid sick leave and health care premiums proposed by Sutter.

In Southern California, nurses at Long Beach Memorial Hospital and adjoining Miller Children’s Hospital, which are not controlled by Sutter Health, have raised concerns about staffing levels they say don’t allow them to take meal and rest breaks.

FCC seeks to ease media-ownership rule

The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to relax a long-standing rule that limits the ability of companies to own both a newspaper and a television or radio station in the same local market.

The proposal, which was challenged in court the last time it came up, was the most contentious piece of updating of the nation’s media ownership rules. Congress requires the FCC to review the rules every four years.

Public interest groups and a departing member of the commission, Michael J. Copps, expressed concerns that the newspaper-broadcast rule change could cause more consolidation in the media industry, in which round after round of stations have been sold to bigger companies.

Justice to require sale before NYSE merger

WASHINGTON » The Justice Department announced Thursday that it will allow the creation of the world’s largest stock exchange operator after the German conglomerate that wants to buy the New York Stock Exchange sells its stake in a third, smaller American stock exchange operator.

Justice Department lawyers filed papers in U.S. District Court in Washington that would allow the merger of NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse AG after the German company orders one of its subsidiaries to sell its 31.5 percent stake in Direct Edge Holdings LLC, which is the United States’ fourth largest stock exchange operator.

Toyota sets 2012 goal at 8.48M vehicles

TOKYO » Toyota is aiming for a comeback, targeting record global sales of 8.48 million vehicles in 2012 and an even bigger number in 2013, after being battered this year by the March disaster in Japan and flooding in Thailand.

Toyota Motor Corp., Japan’s top automaker, relinquished its title as the world’s biggest in global vehicle sales for the first half of this year, sinking to No. 3 behind U.S. rival General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG of Germany.

Toyota’s global vehicle sales for this year totaled 7.9 million vehicles, including group companies, down 6 percent from the previous year, it said in a statement Thursday.

Feds seize $76M in counterfeit goods

MIAMI » Authorities conducting a six-week counterfeit sweep in three countries seized 327,000 phony items including fake Hello Kitty clothing and cheap imitation Casio G-Shock sport watches that if legitimate carry suggested retail prices of more than $76 million, federal investigators said Thursday.

"Counterfeiting remains a significant problem that demands strong enforcement efforts both here and abroad," said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton.

ICE and other agencies, as well as the Mexican and South Korean governments, targeted flea markets, seaports, land ports of entry, swap meets and retail stores between Nov. 1 and Dec. 9 in 66 cities in the U.S., 55 cities in Mexico and in Seoul. Handbags, cell phones, toys, computer software, DVDs and sports jerseys were among other items seized.

ON THE MOVE

ABC Stores Hawaii has promoted:

» Neil Y. Ishida to director of public relations from store manager. His experience includes work as director of human resources and management trainee for the company.

» Warren Ishii to director of culinary services from store manager and operations development manager. His experience includes work as district manager and management trainee for ABC.

» Scott Shimogawa to vice president and director of store operations from store manager. His experience includes work as district manager and management trainee.

Pacific Buddhist Academy has appointed Blayne Higa director of development and community relations. He worked for state Rep. Sylvia Luke for 13 years.