Does Labor Day mark the end of vacation season?
Donโt look now, but August is almost over, September arrives this Wednesday, and Labor Day is this weekend. Are you just as excited for Labor Day as you were for Memorial Day? Or does Labor mark the end of the summer and vacation season for you? Thatโs what weโre discussing on today on Whatโs the Buzz.
Strike at Canadian border causes massive traffic backup on Michigan freeways
โUnfortunately, this is a very perishable industry. Itโs commodity dependent and we have commodities that are sensitive enough that we start seeing diminished quality,โ said Bill Loupee. We donโt have time to have trucks to sit at the border for 24-48 hours. Itโs just not an option.โ
Israeli voters poised to send first Reform rabbi to Knesset
Gilad Kariv is poised to make history this month as the first Reform rabbi to win a seat in Israel's parliament. He first encountered Reform Judaism during a high school trip to the United States. Heโs at the lectern, wearing a kippah as an Israeli," said Rabbi Rick Jacobs, head of the Reform movement in the U.S. who has lobbied the Knesset with Kariv, his Israeli counterpart, for nine years. They see Reform Judaism as a threat unlike secularism, said one expert. โReform Judaism conveys an alternative interpretation of Judaism," said Shmuel Rosner, senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute in Jerusalem.
Mexico's ex-oil boss quits; Fuel oil burn to increase
Romero Deschamps will finally be resigning from his symbolic post as a worker at Mexico's state-owned oil company Pemex, President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador announced Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Ismael Rojas, File)MEXICO CITY โ The former leader of Mexicoโs oil workersโ union will finally be resigning from his symbolic post as a worker at the state-owned oil company Pemex, President Andrรฉs Manuel Lรณpez Obrador announced Tuesday. The resignation marks an end to the decades-long career of Carlos Romero Deschamps, once considered one of the most powerful and corrupt figures in Mexico. AdThis week, the beleaguered oil company has reportedly reached a deal with the state-owned electrical power utility to offload stocks of fuel oil that Pemex can't get rid of. The utility will take the heavily polluting fuel oil to burn at power plants, and return natural gas that Pemex cannot produce enough of.
Detroit grocery store pays $10K fine for violation of child labor laws
DETROIT โ A Detroit grocery store has paid a $10,000 fine for employing several minors in violation of federal child labor laws by allowing them to operate trash compactors and tend to bottle recycling machines. The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division reports Greenfield Market in Detroit allowed workers between the ages of 15 and 17 to operate or tend to the machinery. โBusinesses that employ minors must comply with federal laws that protect youth in the workforce.โAdThe Fair Labor Standards Act establishes both hours and occupational standards for minor employees. Children under age 18 may not be employed in any occupation the Secretary of Labor has declared to be hazardous. AdBack in 2019: Nearly 40 Michigan businesses fined for violating wage, child labor laws
Reports: NHL, NHLPA discuss 56-game regular season with mid-January start date
The NHL and NHLPA are looking at the possibility of starting a 56-game regular season in mid-January 2021, according to TSNโs Frank Seravalli. Development: Sources say #NHL shared draft schedules with #NHLPA on Thursday, one including a 56-game regular season for 2021. Drafts were based on Jan. 1 start date, but sides discussed pushing that back (Jan. 15 or 16?). A Jan. 15 start is now being discussed, source says, really no choice given that Jan 1 doesnโt seem realistic at this point. If this new pandemic-shortened season really is going to start in mid-January, the NHL and NHLPA need to finalize something very soon.
Unions threaten work stoppages amid calls for racial justice
Ahead of Labor Day, major U.S. labor unions say they are considering work stoppages in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)NEW YORK Ahead of Labor Day, unions representing millions across several working-class sectors are threatening to authorize work stoppages in support of the Black Lives Matter movement amid calls for concrete measures that address racial injustice. Are we in conversation with our members and the national labor movement about how we escalate our tactics to stop fascism and win justice? Martin Luther King Jr. and Rep. John Lewis and was organized by A. Philip Randolph, a Black icon of the labor movement. That connection has only intensified because of the importance of workers of color, particularly African Americans, in the labor movement, Sugrue said.
German government sees smaller economic decline this year
Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he is now predicting a contraction of 5.8% in 2020, rather than the 6.3% he forecast in late April. For next year, the government is predicting 4.4% growth, down from its previous forecast of 5.2%. He added that he hopes this year's GDP figure might turn out slightly better than the new forecast. Germany has been loosening coronavirus restrictions since late April, but a recent increase in new infections has caused concern. The agency said Tuesday it paid out for 5.36 million people in June, the most recent month for which it has figures.
Michigan unemployment claims up 550% over typical week, state says
Unemployment filings spiked in Michigan a week after local businesses laid off staff in response to mass social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. NBC News reported unemployment websites across the U.S. crashed on Tuesday as people filed claims for benefits. Just this week, 48,000 people in Ohio alone filed unemployment claims in two days, according to Slate.com. Hereโs a fact sheet on claiming unemployment benefits in Michigan. Michigan unemployment benefits are determined by previous income and number of dependents.
UAW announces ethics reform while under federal probe
DETROIT โ The United Auto Workers union is launching what it calls โwidespread ethics reformsโ amid a federal investigation into fraud and misuse of funds. Hereโs the list of reforms announced Wednesday:The establishment of an Ethics Ombudsman to receive, review and respond to ethics complaints and allegations. The banning of all charitable contributions from UAW joint program centers, vendors, or employers to any charities run or controlled by UAW officials. Finally, UAW will set up an Ethics Hotline to encourage those who may have concerns about or want to report potential ethics violations. DETROIT, MI - JULY 16: United Auto Workers President Gary Jones speaks at the opening of open the 2019 GM-UAW contract talks where the traditional ceremonial handshake takes place on July 16, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan.