Business + Labor
U.S. Senate confirms Trump’s new energy secretary, a former Ford exec
WASHINGTON — The President Trump administration has a new head of energy policy. The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly Monday to confirm the nomination of Dan Brouillette as the new secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. He succeeds former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who stepped down Sunday. Seventy voted for Brouillette, who has served as […]
USMCA trade deal presents political conundrum for swing-district Dems like Stevens, Slotkin
WASHINGTON — With only a few legislative days left before Congress adjourns for the year, U.S. House Democrats are eager to show that they can legislate while also pursuing an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. A massive trade deal represents their best shot at showing they can do so — but passing it would […]
UAW announces tentative deal with Fiat-Chrysler
The United Auto Workers (UAW) has reached a tentative deal with Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the union announced Saturday. The company confirmed the four-year agreement on Twitter, but declined to release details. This is the last of the union’s negotiations with Big Three automakers. UAW members ratified deals with Ford and General Motors (GM). GM workers […]
Legal pot sales start Sunday, and Ann Arbor is the place to be
At least three Ann Arbor stores could be selling recreational marijuana by Sunday morning, as the state’s first legal sales commence. The state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) announced on Wednesday that stores cleared for adult-use recreational sales which also hold licenses as medical marijuana provisioning centers may begin transferring up to 50% of their medical […]
Dingell holds electric vehicle roundtable with labor, autos and enviros in Detroit
Updated, 1:07 p.m., 11/26/19 U.S. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) met in Detroit on Monday with industry, labor and environmental leaders to explore how to work together on electric vehicles (EVs). The event held at IBEW Local 58 also included United Steelworkers, Ford Motor Co., United Auto Workers, CalStart, the Ecology Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra […]
Flint and Detroit get $13M from feds for transit upgrades
Michigan will see almost $13 million in federal grants for transit upgrades in Detroit and Flint. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Monday announced a total of $423 million in transit infrastructure grants. Of that, $12.8 million will go to Michigan projects, according to a news release. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist made the announcement at […]
Wisconsin governor signs pipeline protest bill over critics’ objections
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers last week signed a widely supported, yet also controversial, bill escalating penalties for trespassing on pipelines and other energy and water sites. The Democrat on Wednesday signed AB 426, which passed with bipartisan support and was backed by business groups as well as labor unions whose members work in pipeline construction […]
Column: Democratic candidates want to boost school funding – research shows that will help low-income students
With few exceptions, the various Democratic plans for public education share a common theme: more funding, less privatizing. Candidates Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders have promised to dramatically increase or triple current federal funding for low-income students and curtail charter school growth. Elizabeth Warren recently went even further, promising to quadruple federal funding […]
Tlaib sponsors bill killing opportunity zones
On the heels of asking for congressional hearings into a tax break program that may have been misused by wealthy interests, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) has introduced legislation to eliminate it. H.R. 5252 would repeal controversial opportunity zones from the U.S. tax code. They were created by GOP tax reform bill passed in 2017 […]
Rick Haglund: Bombshell GM-FCA lawsuit loops auto execs into UAW scandal
Any notion that greedy United Auto Workers (UAW) union officials are solely to blame for the union’s escalating bribery scandal has been destroyed in a stunning federal court lawsuit filed by General Motors (GM). GM on Wednesday sued rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), alleging that FCA engaged in racketeering by paying millions of dollars in […]
Domestic auto drama: UAW head resigns, GM sues Fiat-Chrysler
Michigan’s global automotive industry had a bumpy ride on Wednesday as an embattled union boss stepped down and one of the major car companies sued a top rival. Gary Jones, who took a leave of absence as president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) earlier this month amid a corruption probe by federal authorities, reportedly […]
Pence heading back to Michigan in December during Upper Midwest swing
Vice President Mike Pence will visit Michigan in December to continue a push for Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, in addition to making stops in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, other key battleground states. Pence on Wednesday traveled to Wisconsin to speak about President Trump’s proposed trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico.The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement […]