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Stories Tagged as

Labor

For this Michigan business owner, wage hikes are tied to price hikes

by Sean McHenry
Oct 16, 2023
Annie Lang Hartman, owner of Wild Lettie, is planning ahead. And one of her biggest concerns is payroll.
"We're kind of settling into fall, which is a little bit quieter for us," said Annie Lang Hartman of Wild Lettie. Above, the interior of one of her shops.
Courtesy Lang Hartman
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Unemployment claims are at their lowest number since January

by Elizabeth Trovall
Sep 21, 2023
The labor market is still pretty tight, even after the last year and a half of rate hikes loosened things a bit.
Even without big hiring expansions, there are still more jobs out there than workers available to fill them.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
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How Labor Day has changed — and not changed — in its 140-year history

by Maria Hollenhorst
Sep 4, 2023
The first Labor Day parade took place in 1882. Historian Allyson Brantley says there are notable parallels between that moment and today.
A member of the sheet metal workers union walks in a 2022 Labor Day parade in Wilmington, California. Parades have been a mainstay of Labor Day celebrations since the 1880s.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Share of women in labor force continued to grow in August, but is it sustainable?

by Meghan McCarty Carino
Sep 4, 2023
Flexible and remote jobs help. Expiring childcare relief funds don't.
The gap between women and men in the workforce was the narrowest its ever been in August.
Getty Images
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Autoworkers union pushes for 32 hour workweek

by Matt Levin
Aug 28, 2023
It may be a strategy to cope with the electric vehicle transition.
UAW President Shawn Fain speaks to members at an event in Warren, Michigan. The UAW's contract with the Big Three automakers is set to expire in just a few weeks.
Jeff Kowalski/AFP via Getty Images
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For the first time in a year, worker productivity is up

by Mitchell Hartman
Aug 10, 2023
That's a good thing for the economy and for business — and could be a good thing for workers themselves.
Increased productivity often comes from the introduction of new technology, like supermarket self checkouts.
Getty Images
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Hotels and restaurants have had trouble hiring, so they innovated

by Stephanie Hughes
Jul 17, 2023
That’s meant automating some tasks once done by humans and thinking carefully about the humans they do hire.
After two summers of worker shortages on Cape Cod, some restaurant and hotel owners have become more efficient, "enabling them to operate with a smaller staff,” the Beige Book says.
Tim Graham/Getty Images
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A Warmer World

More “hottest day evers” mean changing the way we work

by Stephanie Hughes and Addie Costello
Jul 5, 2023
Extreme heat affects our health, our morale and our productivity. Employers will need to adapt.
Contractor Prince Xavier Biabo, who's renovating a townhouse in Baltimore, says hydrating is key to getting through the heat.
Stephanie Hughes/Marketplace
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At this Detroit frame shop, it might be time to bring another employee into the picture

by Sean McHenry
Jun 30, 2023
Eric Vaughn, owner of a custom frame shop in Detroit, has been working with a two-person crew but might need a new hire for the fall.
"Usually, in the summertime, things kind of taper off because people are on vacation," said Eric Vaughn. "And right now, we're still busy. We haven't slowed up one bit."
Courtesy of Eric Vaughn.
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Local governments are employing gig workers and offering better benefits

by Kai Ryssdal and Richard Cunningham
Jun 26, 2023
Cities are among the biggest buyers of flexible labor, and they're improving terms for gig work, says Xavier de Souza Briggs of Brookings.
Gig workers, like those who drive for ride-hailing companies, may soon have more jobs in local government.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
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