Business News brief

Citterio workers get pact

The union representing 213 workers at Citterio USA in Freeland ratified a new three-year contract with the company on Friday, union officials said. The pact, which expires May 27, 2012, was approved in a 110-27 vote.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 Secretary-Treasurer Michelle Kessler said the contract includes hourly wage increases of 25 cents in each of the first two years and 30 cents the third year. Also, certain job classifications were upgraded with additional rate adjustments of 25 cents to $1 per hour. The average wage is about $14.50 per hour, she said.

“We’re happy to achieve another three years of a good, fair contract,” Kessler said.

The contract also limits health care costs to union members and calls for the company to increase contributions to the workers’ retirement fund. The facility makes dry-cured meat products that are sold to restaurants and in food stores.

Local home prices up

A new report by real estate industry data provider First American CoreLogic found home prices in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area edged up slightly more than 1 percent in March compared to a year earlier. It was the second consecutive 1 percent increase.

The company found national home prices declined an average of 11.5 percent in March, with Nevada’s 25.9 percent slide the worst among states. Pennsylvania average prices fell 4.8 percent over the year.

‘Financial fitness’ seminar

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania is offering a free “Road to Financial Fitness” seminar from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, in the lower level conference room of its offices at 401 Laurel St., Pittston. Topics will include setting financial goals, the cost of credit, creating a successful spending plan and improving a credit score.

To register, call Terri Stocki at 570-602-2227, ext. 220 or e-mail tstocki@cccsnepa.org.

Cuban fights stock charge

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants an insider trading lawsuit against him thrown out, but he’ll have to wait for a judge’s decision.

The SEC alleges Cuban engaged in insider trading when he sold shares in an Internet search engine company, Mamma.com Inc., after receiving confidential information about a private offering. Cuban’s attorney argued the SEC is not correctly defining insider trading.