Coca-Cola bottlers strike over benefits

More than 2,000 workers at plants in California and Connecticut that bottle Coca-Cola products went on strike Monday, just before the start of the summer season that is so important to the soft drink industry.

The workers, mostly production workers and delivery drivers, were in contract negotiations with Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., the world’s largest beverage bottler with 46 plants across the U.S. The workers walked out over the company’s proposal that they pay more for health benefits.

Fuel

Gasoline prices drop

The average gasoline price nationwide for all grades tumbled 6 cents in two weeks, continuing a slide in pump prices that began last month, an industry analyst said.

The average retail price for all three grades dropped 6.37 cents to $2.18 per gallon between May 6 and Friday, said Trilby Lundberg, who publishes the semimonthly Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations around the country. The most popular grade, self-serve regular, was priced at $2.15 a gallon.

A separate report Monday, from AAA, found that the average price for unleaded was just under $2 a gallon in Lawrence.

Acquisition

USF shareholders OK Yellow deal

Trucking company USF Corp. said Monday that a majority of its shareholders approved selling the company to Yellow Roadway Corp. for $1.37 billion in cash and stock.

The deal is expected to close today.

Yellow expects to wring $40 million in savings from USF in the first year and $150 million long-term.