Business Headlines
Boeing locks out its firefighters amid union fight for pay
David Madison/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Boeing officially locked out its unionized firefighters in Washington after the firefighter's union failed to come to an agreement with the company after two-and-a-half months of negotiations, primarily over pay.This is the first time in over four decades that a group of firefighters have been on a lock out in the U.S."Despite extensive discussions through an impartial federal mediator, we did not reach an agreement with the union," Boeing said in a statement Saturday. "We are disappointed the union chose not to even bring our offer to its members for one final vote."Boeing added, "We have now locked out members of the bargaining unit and fully implemented our contingency plan with highly qualified firefighters performing the ... Read More
April jobs report misses expectations, signaling a possible slowdown
Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- A worse-than-expected jobs report on Friday offered the latest evidence of an economic slowdown that could help ease inflation and trigger interest rate cuts. The trend, however, threatens to downshift the nationās brisk economic growth.Employers hired 175,000 workers last month, falling short of economist expectations of 240,000 jobs, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed. The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9%, which remains near a 50-year low.The hiring in April marked a steep slowdown from the previous month and delivered the lowest monthly reading so far this year.Economists who spoke to ABC News characterized the fresh data as a mild cooldown that may ease fears of stubborn inflation fueled by an economy running ... Read More
Hawaii counties get more say over short-term rentals amid housing crisis in aftermath of Maui wildfires
A person golfs on the first day of tourism resuming in west Maui, two months after a devastating wildfire, on Oct. 08, 2023 near Lahaina, Hawaii. Mario Tama/Getty Images, FILE(HONOLULU) -- Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed a bill into law to give counties more authority to regulate short-term vacation rentals amid the ongoing state housing crisis and aftermath of the Maui wildfires.Now, a day after the bill signing, local advocates from LÄhainÄ Strong are joining County Maui Mayor Richard Bissen to announce a new policy aimed at regulating and phasing out "thousands of transient vacation rentals that have not gone through the traditional permitting process."Itās time we take a stand to house our people by phasing out illegal short term ... Read More
Interest rates could be high for much longer. Here’s what it means for your finances
Tetra Images/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- For months, the Federal Reserve has forecasted interest rate cuts that would deliver much-needed relief for Americans burdened by high mortgage and credit card loans.At a press conference this week, however, Fed Chair Jerome Powell cast doubt on whether those rate cuts would arrive after all, saying the Fed needs to āgain greater confidenceā that inflation is headed toward an acceptable level.The prospect of high interest rates for a longer period of time could exacerbate the financial pain already imposed by elevated borrowing costs, making loans expensive even as consumers still weather elevated prices, experts told ABC News.Americans with savings accounts and other cash funds will continue to benefit from solid returns, though they tend ... Read More
Ahead of election, Lyft CEO details company’s newest efforts to boost voter turnout
Hill Street Studios/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Ahead of the upcoming election in November, the popular ride-sharing service Lyft announced a partnership that its CEO said he hopes continues the company's mission to bring more people -- especially younger voters -- to the polls.Lyft CEO David Risher told ABC News in an interview that ahead of the upcoming election, he wanted to increase the company's footprint when it comes to increasing voter turnout."One of the most important things you can do to keep the community active and engaged is to make sure they have easy access to the polls," Risher said in the company's Washington, D.C., office.That includes a partnership between Lyft and Levi Strauss & Co., Showtime and MTV to ... Read More
Tipping point: Viral video sparks questions about gratuities
Tetra Images/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Tipping has seen a shift, especially compared to pre-pandemic, when the cost of food and everything else was lower, but one man's recent experience that went viral on social media has sparked new questions around gratuities.Mark O'Brien shared a video on Instagram showing an electronic screen that displayed the suggested tip percentages on his $27 check total. The problem he said, "15% of $27 is not $6, 18% of 27 is not $7, 20% is not $8."The fuzzy math prompted hundreds of varied comments from viewers, with some writing that "restaurants need to pay their employees, not us," and one person arguing that "tipping is out of control."The payment device in the video, however, displays ... Read More
Airbnb launches stays at “Up” house, “Inside Out” headquarters and more ‘Icons’
Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Looking for a unique vacation destination?Airbnb is offering customers an opportunity to stay in famous homes and places such as a re-creation of the Up house from Pixar's 2009 animated movie.Photos show the Up house, home to the fictional Carl Fredricksen and his late wife Ellie, brought to life with photos of the couple and just like in the movie, held up by 8,000 balloons among the red rocks of Abiquiu, New Mexico.The Up house is part of Airbnb's new "Icons" series, launched May 1, with 11 special locations. Airbnb expects to offer additional listings later this year."Icons take you inside worlds that only existed in your imaginationāuntil now," Airbnb co-founder and CEO ... Read More
Martinelli’s apple juice recalled over high arsenic levels, sold at Whole Foods, Kroger and more
S. Martinelli & Co.(NEW YORK) -- Martinelli's has voluntarily recalled a single lot of its apple juice that was distributed to five major retailers after it tested for arsenic levels higher than U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards.S. Martinelli & Co. stated in a recall notice dated April 16, 2024, that the recall was initiated as "a result of sampling by the State of Maryland that found samples from one production lot of Martinelli's apple juice, sold in one-liter glass bottles, tested above the guidance action level for inorganic arsenic in apple juice set by the FDA in June 2023."Last year the FDA issued guidance that lowered the industry action level for inorganic arsenic in apple juice from 23 parts ... Read More
It’s not too late to book summer travel deals, these expert tips make it easier
onurdongel/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- For anyone still in planning mode for summer vacation, some experts say right now may be the best time to book the trip.Founder of The Points Guy Brian Kelly explained to ABC News' Good Morning America that the best booking timeframe, known as the goldilocks window, can offer travelers serious savings."When traveling internationally, you wanna book at least 60 days in advance and domestic, the sweet spot is usually 45 days," he said.While airlines are already bracing for record travel this summer, Kelly said to go with the deals rather than the specific destination."Demand for travel is strong, especially intergenerational travel," he said. "I recommend -- choose the destination where the deals are so you can ... Read More
Some California restaurants face stark realities, burdens after minimum wage increase
tattywelshie/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- It's been nearly one month since California raised the minimum wage at certain restaurants, which has put a spotlight on a course correction that many see as long overdue.But for some -- and not just fast food franchise owners -- the newly raised bar for compensation also marks a pivotal point for restaurants to remain competitive in an already difficult post-pandemic landscape. The industry with famously thin margins is once again being pushed to make monetary and operational adjustments to stay afloat, all without compromising consumer expectations.Some customers have already felt the pinch of costs being passed onto them, as recently reported by the Wall Street Journal, which restaurant owners and executives at chains like Chipotle ... Read More
Amazon Prime Day 2024: Here’s what to know and expect
Nipitpon Singad / EyeEm/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Amazon Prime Day is making its annual return in July.The retailer previously announced the return of its biggest shopping event of the year along with plans to include even more savings than it has in years past."I'm thrilled to share that Prime Day will be back this July," Doug Herrington, Amazon CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, wrote in the caption of a recent Instagram post. "This will be Amazon's 10th Prime Day, and I'm excited for Prime members around the world to discover some of the best deals of the summer."What is Amazon Prime Day?Prime Day is a 48-hour shopping event that gives Amazon Prime members exclusive access to deals on Amazon.com across ... Read More
Southwest Airlines CEO says airline may reevaluate open seating after financial loss
Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Southwest Airlines famously allows passengers to select their own seats upon boarding, but the low fare carrier could be changing course.Earlier this week, after the Dallas-based carrier reported a $231 million net loss from the first quarter of 2024, CEO Bob Jordan commented on the "disappointing" results and said they are "evaluating options to enhance our Customer Experience" which he said includes "onboard seating.""We are focused on controlling what we can control and have already taken swift action to address our financial underperformance and adjust for revised aircraft delivery expectations," he continued.On a webcast recording of the earnings call, Jordan said, "It's been several years since we last studied this in-depth, and customer ... Read More
Walmart US CEO talks inflation, self-checkout, and paying six-figures to non-college degree workers
In this Nov. 24, 2023, file photo, a Walmart store is shown on Black Friday, in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- In an exclusive and far-reaching interview with ABC News, John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., talked about the retail giantās push to hire more non-college degree workers for high-paying corporate jobs at the company.Currently, 75% of Walmartās salaried managers began as hourly associates. High-performing Walmart managers at the storeās Supercenters now have the ability to earn more than $400,000 a year, which includes a new stock grant rewards program. Some of those managers have college degrees, while others do not -- it is not required for the job.āWhile college is great for some, ... Read More
No cuts: Proposed bill could change skipping the security line at the airport
Travelers use Clear Plus kiosks at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, May 25, 2023. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- California lawmakers have pushed forward a new piece of legislation aimed at changing the way third-party security screening companies like CLEAR help expedite customers through security at the airport.An annual CLEAR membership that costs $189 allows travelers to skip the onerous security lines and instead verify their identity with biometric data at a kiosk, then get escorted by an agent to the front of the line bypassing TSA and TSA PreCheck.But California Senate Bill 1372, which passed 8-4 in the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday, would ban CLEAR from expanding at California airports unless the ... Read More
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