Lawsuit claims Heard violated labor laws

A lawsuit filed against Bill Heard Enterprises claims the company with the largest chain of Chevrolet dealerships in the country violated federal labor law when it fired thousands of employees last month. Former employee Edward Kratzel, who worked at a Bill Heard dealership in Las Vegas, filed the suit Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in northern Alabama. Kratzel was one of more than 2,000 employees who lost his job when the Columbus, Ga.-based company closed all of its remaining dealerships on September 24th. The suit against Bill Heard and about two dozen affiliated companies says the companies violated the workers' rights under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Kratzel's lawyers are seeking class action status for the suit.

(Associated Press)