Lumber Liquidators could win out, as the California Air Resources Board changes its laminating panel formaldehyde testing recommendations, says an analyst at Seeking Alpha. More than 100 law suits have been launched against Lumber Liquidators, many centered on the sale of laminate flooring labeled as CARB-compliant (e.g., it emits formaldehyde within California Air Resources Board limits). Claimants say it's not within those limits, but that is based "destructive testing" (floor is chopped up then tested) to measure formaldehyde. Now CARB, in final recommendations on testing, says non-desctructive testing (floor is left intact) is okay. (You may need to register to read the Seeking Alpha article.)

We're also watching what's happening to lumber futures pricing as China's building market collapses, and its leaders try to avoid having the economy overall shift into reverse. The Barchart lumber futures contract shows the declines in all contracts. WoodworkingNetwork links to dynamic pricing on lumber contracts futures. But the 3 month view reveals the downward trends on September 2015 lumber futures prices.

And what about Gingrich Woodcraft's decision to fire everyone and close down after workers voted to unionize? Owner Leon Gingrich says his Mennonite beliefs guided his decision to close, announced August 19, following the August 12 vote by his workers to join Unifor. The union has filed a complaint against Gingrich Woodcraft with the Ontario Labour Relations Board, says CBC News: "All I can tell you is this: This is against the law," said Unifor national representative Stephen Boon. "You cannot threaten or intimidate workers and take action directly aimed at unionization, and that's what this employer has done."