Troubles Aplenty At Union Carbide

The chemical giant will close plants and eliminate 4,000 jobs

Compared with the misfortunes of Union Carbide, Job had it easy. The company's problems began nearly a decade ago with a profit slump that has persisted ever since. Then this past December came the leak of methyl isocyanate gas from a plant in Bhopal, India, which killed 2,500 people and provoked more than $100 billion in lawsuits. Last month Union Carbide fell deeper into trouble when a toxic leak in Institute, W. Va., sent 135 people to the hospital and prompted an additional $88 million in suits. Now Union Carbide faces a potential assault by corporate raiders who hope that the...

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