Union threatens action at Embassy Kaanapali

The union representing some 190 workers at Embassy Vacation Resort Kaanapali on Maui has told the resort it will set up picket lines until management gets serious about a union contract.

Tony Rutledge, chief negotiator for Local 5 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, AFL-CIO, said the union won the right in 1999 to represent Embassy employees but has not been able to get agreement on a first contract.

In a letter Tuesday to Bernie Delos Santos, human resources manager at the resort, Rutledge asked the company to come back to the bargaining table and said until an agreement is reached there will be picketing, rallies and possibly a "stop work demonstration."

Officials of the resort were not available for comment.

Intel to start selling faster chips next week

NEW YORK >> Intel Corp. will start selling faster models of its Pentium 4 processor next week, as the biggest chipmaker tries to get the product into a larger selection of computers.

Intel will introduce Pentium 4s running at 1.8 gigahertz and 1.6GHz, Executive Vice President Mike Splinter said. The chips had been expected some time in the third quarter.

The company wants to boost acceptance of the chip, which was introduced in November. To do that, Intel has cut Pentium 4 prices by as much as 69 percent since then and has added both slower and faster versions so users of fancy computers and less expensive systems can afford it.

Cyanotech sends BioAstin to new trials

Big Island biotech company Cyanotech will enter its BioAstin nutritional supplement into clinic trials to measure its effectiveness in reducing high cholesterol, the company said.

The study will determine whether BioAstin, Cyanotech's proprietary blend of microalgae products, is effective in reducing LDL, or "bad", cholesterol while boosting HDL, or "good", cholesterol.

The double-blind trial will be conducted on 44 patients in California.