Up, Up, Up Goes The Economy. Here’s What Could Knock It Down.
– The New York Times
Americans have spent much of the past decade wondering when the economy would recover from the crippling Great Recession. Now, they are considering another question: When, and how, will that recovery end?
Uber, Lyft Drivers In New York City Launch Campaign For Minimum Wage
– New York Daily News
Fresh from a victory on tipping, the group representing more than 60,000 Uber and Lyft drivers in New York City is asking that they get a raise. The Independent Drivers Guild, which was founded with Uber’s support but is sometimes at odds with the company, wants the Taxi and Limousine Commission to extend its regulatory hand to drivers’ pay. This week, it delivered a petition with more than 15,000 signatures asking the city agency to put pay schedules and compensation rules under its authority-and guarantee a minimum wage that drivers would earn while transporting passengers. The move puts one of the country’s largest “new economy” companies up against a decidedly “old economy” labor challenge.
Google Introduces ‘Shopping Actions’ To Help Retailers In Their Battle With Amazon
– TechCrunch
Through its new program, Shopping Actions, Google is now allowing retailers to list products on Google Search, Google Express (Google’s fast-delivery online shopping experience) and the Google Assistant app for a slice of the profits. So what’s Google’s angle? Over the last two years, mobile searches like “Where can I buy this?” “How can I buy it?” and “How do I transact?” jumped 85%. The majority of those queries inevitably found their way to Amazon. But if Google leverages its platform with popular products from brands people trust, retailers might just give Amazon a run for its money.
The Trump Administration Wants To Let Bosses Keep Their Workers’ Tips
– Vox
From the left-leaning Vox: The Trump administration has kept its promise to let companies do business with less government oversight. One of the administration’s major deregulation efforts is currently underway at the Department of Labor – and if implemented, it would be a boon to the restaurant industry, which has been fighting for years to control how servers’ tips are distributed, but could potentially hurt millions of American workers who get tips as part of their jobs.