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☆ The racial wage gap starts as early as 16 for Black workers—and results in ‘a lifetime of consequences,’ says expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The racial wage gap may be shrinking, but it's still got a ways to go. The median weekly earnings for full-time wage and salaried Black or African American 16-to-24-year-olds was $614. Though a smaller gap than the national one, that still works out to be about 82 cents to white workers' dollar. Children born in higher income and higher wealth families will have greater access to opportunities. Andre Perry Senior fellow at BrookingsThe resulting family wealth can hinder access to higher paying jobs as well.

Persons: it's, haven't, Andre Perry, Andre Perry Senior, Perry, Valerie Wilson Organizations: Nationwide, Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Brookings, Pew Research Center, BLS, Economic Policy Institute Locations: Brookings

☆ What Was The Village Voice?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Dwight Garner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

THE FREAKS CAME OUT TO WRITE: The Definitive History of The Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture, by Tricia RomanoTricia Romano’s oral history of The Village Voice, the most important alternative weekly of the 20th century, is a well-made disco ball of a book — it’s big, discursive, ardent, intellectual and flecked with gossip. A lot of the people Romano interviewed, former Voice writers, editors, photographers, designers and cartoonists, will probably wince, at times, at the text. Humiliations are recalled; toes are trod upon; old hostilities have been kept warm, as if on little Sterno cans of pique. Founded in 1955 by a group of writers and editors that included Norman Mailer, The Voice was intended to be a newspaper for downtown, defined as below 14th Street in Manhattan. For many oddballs and lefties and malcontents out in America’s hinterlands (I was among them), finding their first copy of The Voice was more than eye-opening.

Persons: Tricia Romano Tricia Romano’s, Romano, Humiliations, Norman Mailer, ” Organizations: The, U.S . Postal Service, New York Post Locations: Manhattan, New York

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's state-owned development bank has sold shares in the company that owns the national postal service for about 2.17 billion euros ($2.3 billion), reducing the government's stake and raising money to help finance improvements to the country's rail network. The sale cuts the state's stake in DHL to 16.5%, though it is still the largest single shareholder. The proceeds are to be used to strengthen the capital of Germany's main railway operator, the state-owned Deutsche Bahn, to help it upgrade railway infrastructure, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday. The government is turning to privatization proceeds to help finance improvements to the rail network after a court ruling forced it to plug a big hole in this year's budget and reconsider its wider financial plans. The maneuver ran afoul of Germany’s strict self-imposed limits on running up debt.

Organizations: BERLIN, —, Deutsche, DHL Group, DHL, Deutsche Bahn, Finance Ministry Locations: — Germany's, Germany's

It’s very much hand in hand,” said DeJoy, who acknowledged being impatient with the pace of change, including the rollout of electric vehicles. Those efficiency-driven changes will help the environment by reducing carbon emissions by eliminating wasteful activities, in addition to electric vehicles and other efforts. Last month, the Postal Service unveiled new EVs and charging stations at a new distribution center in Georgia, one of many updated sorting and delivery centers that are opening. The Postal Service plans to take delivery of 66,000 electric vehicles over five years. But not everyone is thrilled by the focus on electric vehicles.

Persons: General Louis DeJoy, Biden, ”, DeJoy, Jennifer Beiro, Craig Stevens, Sharp Organizations: U.S . Postal Service, Postal Service, Congress, Workers, Oshkosh Locations: Georgia, Ford, Oshkosh, Midwest, Portland , Maine

☆ Mail 3 Days a Week? Idea Meets Resistance in Britain
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jenny Gross | More About Jenny Gross | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Britain’s postal service should consider cutting deliveries to five days a week, or even three, from six, the country’s regulator said on Wednesday, drawing resistance from lawmakers and businesses. The Royal Mail, like the U.S. Postal Service, has been increasingly plagued by service issues and financial pressures. Reducing delivery to just three days a week would save the Royal Mail up to 650 million pounds ($830 million) a year, the report found. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose Conservatives hold a majority, said on Wednesday that he remained “absolutely committed” to ensuring that the Royal Mail delivered six days a week.

Persons: “, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Royal, U.S . Postal Service, Ofcom, Royal Mail Locations: U.S, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium

☆ Royal Mail is on the brink. Cutting letter deliveries to 3 days a week could save it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Royal Mail could ditch its near-daily deliveries of letters as the centuries-old British institution attempts to modernize its service and plug a growing hole in its finances. Ofcom, the UK regulator overseeing the postal service, published proposals to rescue the beleaguered company Wednesday. It said Royal Mail could save as much as £650 million ($828 million) a year if it cut letter deliveries to three days a week from the current six. The number of letters sent via the Royal Mail network had halved since 2011, and financial losses have ballooned. Among its other proposals, Ofcom suggested that Royal Mail could save up to £200 million ($255 million) a year by cutting its letter deliveries down to five days a week, or by extending the time it takes to get mail to customers.

Persons: “ Something’s, ” Melanie Dawes, Kevin Hollinrake, Martin Seidenberg Organizations: London CNN — Royal, Ofcom, Royal Mail, BBC, United, Services, CNN, Royal, International Distribution Services Locations: ”

Over 100,000 people have used such “same-day registration” in North Carolina during each of the last two presidential election years, so slight adjustments in the closely divided state could make a difference in this November's elections for president, governor and other statewide positions. Early in-person voting — and thus same-day registration — for the March 5 primaries begins Feb. 15. Giving people only one chance to verify by mail would be a “substantial burden on same-day registrants who cast a ballot,” Schroeder said. Schroeder acknowledged there are legitimate interests in using address verification to promote preserving the integrity of the election process and instilling voter confidence. But he wrote the plaintiffs have shown the “precise interests asserted in this case likely do not outweigh the substantial burden on the rights of same-day registrants who cast a ballot.”In 2020, about 2,150 same-day registration applicants in North Carolina failed the address verification.

Persons: District Judge Thomas Schroeder, Roy Cooper's, Schroeder, George W, Bush, ” Schroeder, Tim Moore, Grey Mills, “, mailer, ” Organizations: —, North, District, Republican, Assembly, Democratic Gov, Democratic, . Postal Service, Grey, State Board, Democratic National Committee, Democratic Party Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, North Carolina, U.S

☆ What’s open and closed on MLK Day 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

However, the first national celebration of MLK Day didn’t take place until 1986 after years of advocacy. Here’s what’s open and closed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2024. Bing Guan/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesMajor US retailers and grocers — such as Target, Walmart and Kroger — will be open on MLK Day. MLK Day is one of six free entrance days in 2024. FedEx will be open, though FedEx Express and FedEx Ground Economy will be operating on modified service.

Persons: Martin Luther King, Jr, John Conyers, King, Here’s, Bing Guan Organizations: New, New York CNN, MLK, Retail, Costco, Bloomberg, Getty, Major, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Sam’s, US National Parks, United States Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, FedEx Express, Nasdaq, New York Stock Exchange Locations: New York, New Hampshire

☆ Elon Musk called Tesla's Sweden strike 'insane' — now it's spreading to Denmark
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla faces a wave of strikes in Sweden, with unions calling for better pay and benefits. Elon Musk called the strikes, which have disrupted deliveries, "insane" in a post on X. Now they are spreading to Denmark, with Danish dockworkers also refusing to unload Tesla's EVs. AdvertisementTesla is embroiled in a growing battle with unions in Europe after the wave of strikes impacting the company in Sweden spread to Denmark. AdvertisementNine other Swedish unions have joined the strike in solidarity, with dockworkers refusing to unload Tesla's cars at ports and electricians refusing to repair the company's charging stations .

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Danish dockworkers, —, Jan Villadsen Organizations: Danish, Service, Reuters, Sweden's Transport Agency, Denmark aren't, United Auto Workers, UAW, Business Locations: Sweden, Denmark, Europe, Danish, Swedish, Sweden's

☆ Australia to End Daily Letter Delivery as Postal Service Pivots to Parcels
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Lewis JacksonSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia Post will soon end daily letter deliveries as part of a series of postal reforms announced on Wednesday designed to modernise the government-owned postal service and help it turn a profit. Australia Post will also have an extra day to deliver regular mail. Australia Post delivered half a billion parcels last financial year, or roughly 20 per person. Losses in the letter business rose 50% to A$384 million. Australia Post has applied to the competition regulator to increase the basic letter postage rate to A$1.50 from A$1.20 from early near year.

Persons: Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Paul Graham, eCommerce, Graham, Lewis Jackson, Jamie Freed Organizations: Australia Post, Australia Locations: Australia

☆ Pension-eligible workers face complex Social Security rules that may reduce benefits. How to more accurately estimate retirement income
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Richard Stephen | Istock | Getty ImagesWhen Joyce Debnam's husband passed away, she began receiving $1,400 a month in Social Security survivor benefits. That life change prompted Debnam's Social Security benefits to be cut to just $174 a month. Moreover, the Social Security Administration notified her she had to return $5,000 in benefits she had been overpaid. Debnam is one of millions of workers who is affected by Social Security rules related to public workers and reductions in the benefits they are eligible to receive. "We recommend that people review their Social Security Statement at least once every year, which includes important information about WEP and GPO," a Social Security spokeswoman said in a statement.

Persons: Richard Stephen, Istock, Joyce Debnam's, Debnam, Mike Carey R, Mike Carey, Carey, Mark Warshawsky, Warshawsky Organizations: Social, United States Postal Service, Debnam's Social, Social Security Administration, Social Security, Congressional Research Service, GPO, Security, American Postal Workers Union, American Enterprise Institute Locations: Debnam, Suitland , Maryland, Ohio, Baton Rouge , Louisiana

☆ How a specialty vehicle manufacturer is electrifying firetrucks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Robert Ferris | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pierce has already delivered its Volterra electric firetruck to numerous fire departments across the country and has more on the way. Mail truck? Oshkosh makes them all, along with airport emergency vehicles, tow trucks, concrete mixers, truck-mounted cranes, military vehicles and others. The company makes an electric firetruck called the Volterra and is electrifying other vehicles in other departments. The postal truck is designed so that internal combustion versions can be retrofitted with battery electric technology.

Persons: Pierce Organizations: Oshkosh Corporation, The, Oshkosh, United States Postal Service Locations: North America, The Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Volterra

☆ U.S. passport delays have eased — but aren’t yet back to normal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tooga | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesRecord passport demand fuels delaysJordan Siemens | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesPassport processing delays resulted from high demand for international travel as pandemic-era health fears and travel restrictions loosened. Before the pandemic, it took two to three weeks for expedited passports and six to eight weeks for routine passport processing, the State Department said. Passport demand generally fluctuates throughout the year. Andrea Comi | Moment | Getty ImagesA traditional passport — a passport book — costs $130. Expedited passport processing costs an extra $60.

Persons: It's, You've, Andrea Comi Organizations: Digitalvision, Getty, Siemens, State Department, Department, Travelers, United States Postal Service

☆ Tesla scores court win in Sweden in month-long battle with unions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Elon Musk has notched a victory against Swedish workers as a court ruled that Tesla can collect license plates for its cars from the country’s transport authority after postal workers refused to deliver them. Postal workers stopped delivering them to the company last week in sympathy with Tesla’s mechanics who began an ongoing strike in late October. Musk called the postal workers’ actions “insane” in a post on X last week. “Swedish wages and working conditions should apply to all workers in Sweden,” the body said in a statement on its website earlier this month. A company that comes to Sweden must adapt to what applies here.”Musk, the world’s richest man, has been vocal about his opposition to unions.

Persons: London CNN — Elon, Tesla, Musk, ” Tesla, dockworkers, ” Musk, — Olesya Dmitracova Organizations: London CNN, CNN, Sweden’s Transport Agency, Reuters, Transport Agency, Tesla, IF Metall, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, National Labor Relations Board, IG Metall Locations: Norrköping, Sweden’s, Sweden, Swedish, “, Tesla, Berlin, Germany

☆ Amazon Tops UPS and FedEx to Become Biggest U.S. Delivery Business
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Dana Mattioli | Esther Fung | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Amazon.com has grabbed the crown of biggest delivery business in the U.S., surpassing both UPS and FedEx in parcel volumes. The Seattle e-commerce giant delivered more packages to U.S. homes in 2022 than UPS, after eclipsing FedEx in 2020, and it is on track to widen the gap this year, according to internal Amazon data and people familiar with the matter. Postal Service is still the biggest parcel service by volume; it handles hundreds of millions of packages for all three companies.

Organizations: UPS, FedEx, U.S . Postal Service Locations: U.S, Seattle

☆ Tesla sues Swedish government after postal workers block license plate deliveries
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla filed a lawsuit against the Swedish Transport Agency on Monday after postal workers began to block deliveries of license plates for the company's cars. Swedish postal workers blocked Tesla license plate deliveries as a show of solidarity with striking workers. Tesla claims the Swedish government has a "constitutional obligation to provide registration plates to vehicle owners," according to the documents. "This seizure of license plates constitutes a discriminatory attack without any support in law directed at Tesla. This measure cannot be described in any other way than as a unique attack on a company operating in Sweden," Tesla said in the filing, which CNBC translated to English.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, wasn't, CNBC's Lora Kolodny Organizations: British, Swedish Transport Agency, Bloomberg, CNBC, Tesla Locations: London, Britain, Norrköping, Sweden, Swedish

☆ Amazon's leading delivery service is a huge win for the company's growing retail business
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It gives us another reason to be confident in the firm's retail business as the holiday online shopping season gets off to a strong start this year. Postal Service remains the largest parcel service by volume, handling packages for its customers as well as all three delivery companies. "People shop every day on Amazon," Jim added. The company's speedy, same-day delivery service is a huge value proposition of the Prime membership — made possible, in part, by Amazon's push to become the U.S. package delivery company in the U.S. The Amazon Prime logo is displayed on the side of an Amazon delivery truck in Richmond, California, June 21, 2023.

Persons: Andy Jassy, Jim Cramer, they've, Jim, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, we've, —, Amazon, Jim Cramer's, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Wall, Amazon, United Parcel Service, Journal, FedEx, U.S . Postal Service, Insider Intelligence, Adobe, Mastercard, National Retail Federation, CNBC Locations: U.S, Richmond , California

☆ Elon Musk calls Tesla strike in Sweden 'insane' as 9 unions target company, leaving cars without license plates
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Yoonji Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk called a growing wave of strikes against Tesla in Sweden 'insane.' The union representing postal service workers have joined in solidarity, meaning no new license plates for Tesla cars. AdvertisementElon Musk called a mounting wave of strikes against Tesla in Sweden "insane" as unions continue to pressure the electric carmaker to sign a collective bargaining agreement with its mechanics. The labor battle began on October 27, when mechanics in the Swedish union IF Metall walked out. Their sympathy strike means that new Tesla cars won't receive any license plates — signaling an impending pause on new car registrations in an important market for the company.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Elon, Musk, Tesla Organizations: Tesla, IF Metall, Service, Swedish Transport Workers ' Union, Berlin Locations: Sweden, Swedish, dockworkers, Germany, Berlin

☆ What’s open and closed on Thanksgiving Day 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Thanksgiving Day has looked different in recent years. Sights of people lining up at 5 pm Thanksgiving Day at large retailers to catch Black Friday deals are rare since the onset of the pandemic. Here’s what’s open and closed on Thanksgiving Day 2023. RetailTarget is closed on Thanksgiving Day. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty ImagesPharmaciesMost Walgreens locations will be closed, marking the first time the pharmacy chain has closed stores on Thanksgiving day, it said.

Persons: Here’s, “, Brian Cornell, We’ll, John Furner, Nordstrom, Brendan Smialowski, Tom Thumb, Kroger, Felix Mizioznikov, – CNN’s Jennifer Korn Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walmart, NBC, CVS, Getty, Walgreens, CVS Health, ., Aid, Foods, Albertsons, Safeway, Aldi, Costco, Nasdaq, New York Stock Exchange, UPS, FedEx Locations: New York, Washington ,, AFP, Brenham , TX, USA, Texas, Alamy

☆ U.S. Offers Another Round of Free Covid Tests Through the Mail
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Sheryl Gay Stolberg | More About Sheryl Gay Stolberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Just in time for the holiday season, the Biden administration is offering Americans a fresh round of free at-home coronavirus tests through the Postal Service. The administration revived the dormant program in September, announcing then that households could order four free tests through a federal website, covidtests.gov. Beginning Monday, households may order an additional four tests — or eight tests if they had not ordered any in the previous round. Hospital admissions of patients with Covid ticked up this summer, but they began declining slightly in September and have held fairly steady in recent weeks. About 16,000 people were admitted to hospitals with the virus in the week that ended Nov. 11, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Postal Service, Centers for Disease Control Locations: Covid, United States

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests online for home delivery. Anyone who did not order a batch of four COVID-19 tests in September can secure up to eight of them this time around starting Monday at COVIDtests.gov. The new release of free COVID-19 nasal swab tests also comes ahead of the first winter since the pandemic started that insurers are no longer required to cover the cost of them. Political Cartoons View All 1256 ImagesThe Food and Drug Administration also approved updated COVID-19 vaccines in September in the hopes of revving up protection for Americans this winter. U.S. taxpayers have spent tens of billions of dollars to develop COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments in the three years since the pandemic started.

Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S . Postal Service, Drug Administration Locations: U.S, COVIDtests.gov, COVID, United States

☆ Tesla's problems in Sweden are getting worse as dockworkers refuse to unload its EVs from ships
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The mechanics' trade union is ramping up efforts after talks stalled again this week. AdvertisementThe labor dispute over Tesla's refusal to sign a collective wage agreement in Sweden has escalated into a dramatic labor battle. Unions representing multiple industries announced this week that they would join the strike in solidarity with IF Metall, the Tesla mechanics' trade union. The cleaners were joining the labor action "simply because the [IF] Metall Workers Trade Union asked us to," ombudsman Torbjörn Jonsson told Wired. In Germany, the largest labor union secured a 4% pay rise for 11,000 staff at Teslas Berlin Gigafactory.

Persons: Tesla, —, it's, who've, JOHAN NILSSON, Getty, Torbjörn Jonsson, IG Metall Organizations: Service, IF Metall, Metall, Workers, Union, Tesla, Wired, Metall Workers Trade Union, Teslas Berlin Locations: Sweden, Swedish, Malmo, Germany, Grünheide

☆ The US Postal Service lost $6.5 billion last year. It predicted it would break even
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The US Postal Service lost $6.5 billion in its just-completed fiscal year, delivering a blow to the service’s hopes of a financial turnaround. The Postal Service had projected it would break even in the fiscal year that ended September 30, on its way to annual profits this year and going forward. The Postal Service reported that revenue from shipping and packages, now the largest segment of its business by revenue, edged up 1% to $31.6 billion, even as the volume fell by 2%. First-Class mail also brought in 2% more revenue, climbing to $24.5 billion, despite a 6% drop in volume. The Postal Service reported net income of $56 billion in the previous fiscal year but that was primarily due to the non-cash gain of nearly $57 billion from 2022 legislation that changd the way it accounted for its retiree health care expenses.

Persons: General Louis DeJoy, DeJoy, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Postal Service, Postal Service, UPS, Teamsters, FedEx Locations: New York

☆ US Postal Service reports $6.5 billion net loss for 2023 fiscal year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery truck is seen in Queens, New York City, U.S., May 9, 2022. Postal Service on Tuesday reported a $6.5 billion net loss for the 12 months ending Sept. 30 with revenue down 0.4% to $78.2 billion as first-class mail fell to the lowest volume since 1968. The Postal Service said results were significantly affected by the impact of inflation on operating expenses. The net loss was also impacted by accounting for its underfunded retirements caused by actuarial revaluation and discount rate changes. First-class mail, used by most people to send letters and pay bills, is the highest revenue-generating mail class, accounting for $24.5 billion, or 31% of USPS 2023 revenue.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, General Louis DeJoy, Joe Biden, David Shepardson, Chris Reese, Aurora Ellis Organizations: United States Postal Service, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Postal Service, Postal Service, USPS, Thomson Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S

☆ What Is the Inverted Jenny Stamp, and Why Is It Worth $2 Million?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Victor Mather | More About Victor Mather | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The tale of the misprint, and the ever-increasing sale prices, began to make the Inverted Jenny famous enough to be a cultural reference. In the 1985 comedy “Brewster’s Millions,” Richard Pryor, who for plot reasons is desperately trying to spend $30 million, asks a dealer for his most expensive stamp and is shown the Inverted Jenny. In 1955, a block of four was stolen from a stamp collecting convention in Norfolk, Va. First, check Grandpa’s safe deposit box. The stamp sold last week was discovered in 2018 after spending generations in a safe deposit box.

Persons: ” Richard Pryor, …, Homer Organizations: Postal Locations: Independence, Norfolk, Va

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