IN BRIEF

RENO

Union protests resort's stand on insurance

Union employees planted signs and handed out fliers outside northern Nevada's largest hotel-casino to protest the resort's stance on health insurance during contract negotiations.

Union members contend the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino is being unreasonable because of the amount it wants employees to pay for health insurance.

The union said the demonstration would continue through Reno's Hot August Nights celebration, which ends Aug. 10.

"We are demonstrating peacefully," said union spokesman Brian Staaleson, a bellman at the Grand Sierra. "We are not preventing anyone from coming in here."

Tom Schrade, president and chief executive officer of the resort, defended the proposal.

"We want to ensure that our employees have the best policy, even though they may have to defray a portion of the cost," Schrade said.

NEW YORK

Verizon extends contract negotiations

Verizon Communications Inc., the second-biggest U.S. telephone company, extended a midnight Saturday deadline for contract negotiations with two unions, averting a strike for now.

Talks were continuing at least through Sunday because "a last-minute proposal was substantive enough to give people confidence to move forward," said Rand Wilson, an AFL-CIO spokesman for the unions. The two unions' members have authorized a call for a strike if the leaders deem it necessary. The employees want to maintain health care and retiree benefits and to increase wages.