Business + Labor
The UAW’s Big Three strike led to a surge in union organizing at other automakers
The UAW’s successful strike against Detroit’s Big Three automakers has workers at more than a dozen other car companies interested in joining the union. The UAW says thousands of non-union autoworkers at companies including BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo have announced campaigns to organize their workforces. If […]
Tentative deal announced in 11-week strike by Blue Cross Blue Shield workers
A little over a week after ratifying contracts with the Detroit Three automakers, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union announced on Tuesday it had reached a tentative agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) and its HMO subsidiary, Blue Care Network. Approximately 1,300 UAW members have been on strike since Sept. 13 — […]
Whitmer signs climate change legislation setting 100% clean energy standard for Michigan by 2040
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a slate of bills Tuesday that take her proposals from the MI Healthy Climate Plan and make them into state law. Held at Detroit’s Eastern Market, the ceremony followed House passage earlier this month of a half-a-dozen pieces of climate change legislation from Democrats that address, among other issues, clean energy […]
Federal judge finds former owner of mid-Michigan dams liable for nearly $120M in damages
A default judgment has been entered against the former owner of a mid-Michigan dam that failed in 2020, forcing the evacuation of more than 10,000 people and damaging thousands of homes and businesses. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan on Monday awarded a $119.8 million judgment against Lee Mueller, whose business, […]
New life for old coal: Minelands and power plants are hot renewable development spots
PETERSBURG, Ind. — AES Indiana’s Petersburg Generating Station, which towers over the White River here in southwest Indiana, has been burning coal to generate electricity since the late 1960s. That era, though, will come to an end soon. Two of the power plant’s four coal-burning units have already retired and the last is planning to […]
Susan J. Demas: The UAW won the strike, so why doesn’t Donald Trump want to talk about it?
After decades of eroding wages and benefits, UAW workers this month won blockbuster contracts with the Detroit Three that few thought possible. During the “Stand Up Strike” — an homage to the Sit-down Strike against General Motors in Depression Era Flint that spawned the first industry collective bargaining agreement — the union for the first […]
Meta admits it does ‘very little’ to keep underage users off its platforms in unredacted docs
Facebook’s parent company, Meta, received millions of complaints about underage users on Instagram, but never disclosed that fact nor made any serious effort to close those accounts. That’s according to details that have emerged from a newly unsealed complaint, which had key portions redacted when it was originally filed in October by 33 attorneys general […]
Column: How can we make the most of this holiday season?
Given the feelings of unease that often punctuate our daily lives in many areas, the holiday season provides an opportunity for us not only to celebrate, but to discover lasting meaning that could carry us to new heights of understanding and rejuvenation. Lasting meaning can be found in many ways, but three ways in particular: […]
Retailers pare back their seasonal hiring to prepare for ho-hum holidays
Black Friday shoppers may notice longer lines and fewer retail associates in some of their favorite stores than in past holiday seasons as retailers scale back seasonal hiring over concerns about consumer spending. JCPenney is hiring 12,000 fewer workers than last year. Macy’s 3,000 fewer. Meanwhile a Walmart executive said the retail giant has been […]
On this day in 1963: Michigan leaders react to JFK’s assassination
President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot 60 years ago on Friday, Nov. 22, 1963. The 46-year-old Democrat was set to give a speech in Dallas, Texas. Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, was arrested for the assassination. He was shot and killed by Jack Ruby two days later. The Lansing State Journal banner […]
On this day in 1945: UAW goes on strike against General Motors
On Nov. 21, 1945, the United Auto Workers (UAW) launched a worker’s strike against Detroit-based General Motors. The 113-day national work stoppage was not resolved until March 13, 1946. It affected about 320,000 hourly workers in 96 plants, including several in Michigan. During the early days of the work stoppage, Democratic President Harry Truman vowed […]
UAW ratifies contract with automakers, Detroit casino workers approve deals at two locations
As the United Auto Workers (UAW) union votes to ratify contracts with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, the Detroit Casino Council strike will continue at MGM Grand Casino following an announcement on Sunday. The Detroit Casino Council, which is made up of members from UNITE HERE Local 24, UAW Local 7777, Teamsters Local 1038, Operating […]