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Yet the small companies that provide most of Japan's jobs generally can't increase pay, business owners, economists and officials say. Battered by the pandemic, small firms now struggle to pass on higher costs out of fear of losing customers. They feel they have no choice but to put up with impossible demands from big companies." The trend is most apparent in industries with many small suppliers. The fair trade watchdog last month named 13 big companies it said refused to accept higher prices from suppliers.

☆ Freight railroad service is terrible, even without the threat of a strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But that doesn’t mean freight railroads are providing good service to their customers. Many of the problems tangling up the supply chain, driving up prices and slowing the economy can be traced to the steady decline in freight rail service in recent years. Some experts who represent rail customers who have complained about service in the past say service has gotten better since earlier this year. “The national freight rail network is broken, and the need for long-term rail reform is clear. Union Pacific (UNP), Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Berkshire Hathaway’s (BRKA) Burlington Northern Santa Fe all reported record earnings in 2021.

☆ California Looks to Ban Diesel Trucks at Ports by 2035
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Paul Berger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

An ambitious California plan to require trucking fleets in the state to switch from diesel to electric power faces a potential backup at charging stations. Requiring that dealers and truckers make the switch should give companies confidence to invest in charging stations, Mr. Brasil said. The trucks tend to cost two or three times as much as diesel trucks, which retail for about $150,000. State officials say they have funded 200 charging stations for medium- and heavy-duty trucks so far and that many more are being funded by private companies. Write to Paul Berger at paul.berger@wsj.comCorrections & AmplificationsThe Port of Los Angeles expects to install a small number of charging stations for electric trucks.

☆ How a recession could be a huge opportunity for 'upstream' startups
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Emma Cosgrove | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But the end of the boom times could spell opportunity for industrial or "upstream" startups. The startups working upstream are rarely household names, and likely never will be. But upstream startups today have an advantage even over their counterparts trying to raise funding in past recession: two years of supply chain pain. But dismissing upstream startups as too niche is short-sighted, said Menlo Ventures partner Steve Sloane, who's led investments in warehousing and robotics startups. Supply chain tech startups raised $41.3 billion in 2021 — a 120% increase in funding for the category since 2019.

This makes employees much more expensive for companies to use than independent contractors - up to 30% more, according to some studies. Business groups have maintained that independent contracting helps to create jobs and gives workers more flexibility and opportunities to operate their own businesses. The proposal is similar to legal guidance issued during the Obama administration that was withdrawn by the Labor Department under former President Donald Trump, a Republican. HOW WOULD THE RULE AFFECT WORKERS? At the same time, limiting independent contracting could lead some companies to slash the number of workers they hire, eliminating some jobs altogether.

This makes employees much more expensive for companies to use than independent contractors - up to 30% more, according to some studies. Business groups have maintained that independent contracting helps to create jobs and gives workers more flexibility and opportunities to operate their own businesses. The Labor Department has not revealed any details of the proposal, but is widely expected to restrict independent contracting. Last year, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh told reuters that many gig workers should be classified as employees. Groups representing trucking companies, gig economy firms and freelance workers have unsuccessfully challenged California's 2019 law adopting the "ABC test."

But that doesn’t mean that the freight railroads are providing good service to their customers. Many of the problems tangling up the supply chain, driving up prices and slowing the economy can be traced to the steady decline in freight rail service in recent years. “Railroads understand that service is not at the level customers expect or deserve. “”I’m told by a lot of our members that this has been the worst rail service year in their careers. For rail customers there is basically no alternative for the products they ship.

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