As Trump shows off his golf courses for Britain's leader, crisis in Gaza looms
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is meeting Monday with Trump at a golf property owned by the president's family near Turnberry in southwestern Scotland — then later traveling to Abderdeen, on the country's northeast coast, where there's another Trump golf course and a third is opening soon.
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Winnipeg Free Press
39 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
All major Las Vegas Strip casinos are now unionized in historic labor victory
LAS VEGAS (AP) — When Susana Pacheco accepted a housekeeping job at a casino on the Las Vegas Strip 16 years ago, she believed it was a step toward stability for her and her 2-year-old daughter. But the single mom found herself exhausted, falling behind on bills and without access to stable health insurance, caught in a cycle of low pay and little support. For years, she said, there was no safety net in sight — until now. For 25 years, her employer, the Venetian, had resisted organizing efforts as one of the last holdouts on the Strip, locked in a prolonged standoff with the Culinary Workers Union. But a recent change in ownership opened the Venetian's doors to union representation just as the Strip's newest casino, the Fontainebleau, was also inking its first labor contract. The historic deals finalized late last year mark a major turning point: For the first time in the Culinary Union's 90-year history, all major casinos on the Strip are unionized. Backed by 60,000 members, most of them in Las Vegas, it is the largest labor union in Nevada. Experts say the Culinary Union's success is a notable exception in a national landscape where union membership overall is declining. 'Together, we've shown that change can be a positive force, and I'm confident that this partnership will continue to benefit us all in the years to come,' Patrick Nichols, president and CEO of the Venetian, said shortly after workers approved the deal. Pacheco says their new contract has already reshaped her day-to-day life. The housekeeper no longer races against the clock to clean an unmanageable number of hotel suites, and she's spending more quality time with her children because of the better pay and guaranteed days off. 'Now with the union, we have a voice,' Pacheco said. Union strength is fading nationally These gains come at a time when union membership nationally is at an all-time low, and despite Republican-led efforts over the years to curb union power. About 10% of U.S. workers belonged to a union in 2024, down from 20% in 1983, the first year for which data is available, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. President Donald Trump in March signed an executive order seeking to end collective bargaining for certain federal employees that led to union leaders suing the administration. Nevada and more than two dozen other states now have so-called 'right to work' laws that let workers opt out of union membership and dues. GOP lawmakers have also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board and other regulatory bodies, seeking to reduce what they view as overly burdensome rules on businesses. Ruben Garcia, professor and director of the workplace program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas law school, said the Culinary Union's resilience stems from its deep roots in Las Vegas, its ability to adapt to the growth and corporatization of the casino industry, and its long history of navigating complex power dynamics with casino owners and operators. He said the consolidation of casinos on the Las Vegas Strip mirrors the dominance of the Big Three automakers in Detroit. A few powerful companies — MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts — now control most of the dozens of casinos along Las Vegas Boulevard. 'That consolidation can make things harder for workers in some ways, but it also gives unions one large target,' Garcia said. That dynamic worked in the union's favor in 2023, when the threat of a major strike by 35,000 hospitality workers with expired contracts loomed over the Strip. But a last-minute deal with Caesars narrowly averted the walkout, and it triggered a domino effect across the Strip, with the union quickly finalizing similar deals for workers at MGM Resorts and Wynn properties. The latest contracts secured a historic 32% bump in pay over the life of the five-year contract. Union casino workers will earn an average $35 hourly, including benefits, by the end of it. The union's influence also extends far beyond the casino floor. With its ability to mobilize thousands of its members for canvassing and voter outreach, the union's endorsements are highly coveted, particularly among Democrats, and can signal who has the best shot at winning working-class votes. The union has — and still — faces resistance The union's path hasn't always been smooth though. Michael Green, a history professor at UNLV, noted the Culinary Union has long faced resistance. 'Historically, there have always been people who are anti-union,' Green said. Earlier this year, two food service workers in Las Vegas filed federal complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the union of deducting dues despite their objections to union membership. It varies at each casino, but between 95 to 98% of workers opt in to union membership, according to the union. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. 'I don't think Culinary Union bosses deserve my support,' said one of the workers, Renee Guerrero, who works at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip. 'Their actions since I attempted to exercise my right to stop dues payments only confirms my decision.' But longtime union members like Paul Anthony see things differently. Anthony, a food server at the Bellagio and a Culinary member for nearly 40 years, said his union benefits — free family health insurance, reliable pay raises, job security and a pension — helped him to build a lasting career in the hospitality industry. 'A lot of times it is an industry that doesn't have longevity,' he said. But on the Strip, it's a job that people can do for '20 years, 30 years, 40 years.' Ted Pappageorge, the union's secretary-treasurer and lead negotiator, said the union calls this the 'Las Vegas dream.' 'It's always been our goal to make sure that this town is a union town,' he said.
Winnipeg Free Press
39 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vietnam automaker Vinfast to build factory in India, eyeing growth in Asia
THOOTHUKUDI, India (AP) — Vietnam's Vinfast is due to break ground Monday on a $500 million electric vehicle plant in southern India's Tamil Nadu state, part of a planned $2 billion investment in India and a broader expansion across Asia. The factory in Thoothukudi will initially make 50,000 electric vehicles annually, with room to triple output to 150,000 cars. Given its proximity to a major port in one of India's most industrialized states, Vinfast hopes it will be a hub for future exports to the region. It says the factory will create more than 3,000 local jobs. The Vietnamese company says it scouted 15 locations across six Indian states before choosing Tamil Nadu. It's the center of India's auto industry, with strong manufacturing, skilled workers, good infrastructure, and a reliable supply chain, according to Tamil Nadu's Industries Minister T.R.B. Raaja. 'This investment will lead to an entirely new industrial cluster in south Tamil Nadu, and more clusters is what India needs to emerge as a global manufacturing hub,' he said. A strategic pivot to Asia Vinfast's foray into India reflects a broader shift in strategy. The company increasingly is focusing on Asian markets after struggling to gain traction in the U.S. and Europe. It broke ground last year on a $200 million EV assembly plant in Indonesia, where it plans to make 50,000 cars annually. It's also expanding in Thailand and the Philippines. Vinfast sold nearly 97,000 vehicles in 2024. That's triple what it sold the year before, but only about 10% of those sales were outside Vietnam. As it eyes markets in Asia, it hopes the factory in India will be a base for exports to South Asian countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka and also to countries in the Middle East and Africa. India is the world's third-largest car market by number of vehicles sold. It presents an enticing mix: A fast growing economy, rising adoption of EVs, supportive government policies and a rare market where players have yet to completely dominate EV sales. 'It is a market that no automaker in the world can ignore,' said Ishan Raghav, managing editor of the Indian car magazine autoX. . A growing EV market in India EV growth in India has been led by two and three-wheelers that accounted for 86% of the over six million EVs sold last year. Sales of four wheel passenger EVs made up only 2.5% of all car sales in India last year, but they have been surging, jumping to more than 110,000 in 2024 from just 1,841 in 2019. The government aims to have EVs account for a third of all passenger vehicle sales by 2030. 'The electric car story has started (in India) only three or four years ago,' said Charith Konda, an energy specialist who looks at India's transport and clean energy sectors for the think-tank Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis or IEEFA. New cars that 'look great on the road,' with better batteries, quick charging and longer driving ranges are driving the sector's rapid growth, he said. The shift to EVs is mostly powered by Indian automakers, but Vinfast plans to break into the market later this year with its VF6 and VF7 SUV models, which are designed for India.. Can Vinfast Succeed Where Chinese EVs Faltered? Chinese EV brands that dominate in countries like Thailand and Brazil have found India more challenging. After border clashes with China in 2020, India blocked companies like BYD from building their own factories. Some then turned to partnerships. China's SAIC, owner of MG Motor, has joined with India's JSW Group. Their MG Windsor, a five-seater, sold 30,000 units in just nine months, nibbling Tata Motors' 70% EV market share down to about 50%. Tata was the first local automaker to court mass-market consumers with EVs. Its 2020 launch of the electric Nexon, a small SUV, became India's first major EV car success. Vinfast lacks the geopolitical baggage of its larger Chinese rivals and will also benefit from incentives like lower land prices and tax breaks for building locally in India. That's part of India's policy of discouraging imports with high import duties to help encourage local manufacturing and create more jobs. The push for onshore manufacturing is a concern also for Tesla, which launched its Model Y in India last month at a price of nearly $80,000, compared to about $44,990 in the U.S without a federal tax credit. 'India's stand is very clear. We do not want to import manufactured cars, even Teslas. Whether it's Tesla or Chinese cars, they are taxed heavily,' added Konda. An uphill battle in a tough market The road ahead remains daunting. India's EV market is crowded with well-entrenched players like Tata Motors and Mahindra, which dominate the more affordable segment, while Hyundai, MG Motors and luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz and Audi compete at high price points. Indians tend to purchase EVs as second cars used for driving within the city since the infrastructure for charging elsewhere can be undependable. Vinfast will need to win over India's cost-sensitive and conservative drivers with a reputation for quality batteries and services while keeping prices low, said Vivek Gulia, co-founder of JMK Research. 'Initially, people will be apprehensive,' he said. Vinfast says it plans to set up showrooms and service centers across India, working with local companies for charging and repairs, and cutting costs by recycling batteries and making key parts like powertrains and battery packs in the country. Scale will be key. VinFast has signed agreements to establish 32 dealerships across 27 Indian cities. Hyundai has 1,300 places for Indians to buy their cars. Building a brand in India takes time — Hyundai, for instance, pulled it off over decades, helped by an early endorsement from Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. VinFast can succeed if it can get its pricing right and earn the trust of customers, Gulia said, 'Then they can actually do really good.' ___ Sibi Arasu contributed from Bengaluru and Aniruddha Ghosal contributed from Hanoi, Vietnam. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Asian markets are mixed after Wall St tumbles following poor US jobs report
BANGKOK (AP) — Shares in Asia are mixed after Wall Street had its worst day since May following the release of weak U.S. jobs data. Markets in Asia had already reacted on Friday to U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on imports from many U.S. trading partners, posting moderate losses. The new import duties are set to take effect on Thursday. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index lost 1.6%, bouncing back from bigger losses, to 40,134.97. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong edged 0.2% higher, to 24,589.21, while the Shanghai Composite index was nearly unchanged at 3,562.18. In South Korea, the Kospi surged 0.7% to 3,140.92. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.2% to 8,643.00. Investors' worries about a weakening U.S. economy deepened after the latest report on job growth in the U.S. showed employers added just 73,000 jobs in July. That is sharply lower than economists expected. The Labor Department also reported that revisions shaved a stunning 258,000 jobs off May and June payrolls. 'The labor market, once a pillar of resilience, is now looking more like a late-cycle casualty, as soft data begin to replace soft landings in market discourse,' Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary. U.S. futures edged 0.3% higher, however, early Monday. On Friday, the S&P 500 fell 1.6%, its biggest decline since May 21 and its fourth straight loss. It closed at 6,238.01, posting a 2.4% loss for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.2% to 43,588.58, while the Nasdaq composite fell 2.2% to finish at 20,650.13. Internet retail giant Amazon fell 8.3%, despite reporting encouraging profit and sales for its most recent quarter. Technology behemoth Apple fell 2.5% after also beating Wall Street's profit and revenue forecasts. Both companies face tougher operating conditions because of tariffs, with Apple forecasting a $1.1 billion hit from the fees in the current quarter. Trump's decision to order the immediate firing of the head of the government agency that produces the monthly jobs figures raised concern over whether there might be interference in future data. The surprisingly weak hiring numbers led investors to step up their expectations the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates in September. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.21% from 4.39% just before the hiring report was released. That's a big move for the bond market. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, plunged to 3.68% from 3.94% just prior to the report's release. The Fed has held rates steady since December. A cut in rates would give the job market and overall economy a boost, but it could also risk fueling inflation, which is hovering stubbornly above the central bank's 2% target. An update on Thursday for the Fed's preferred measure of inflation showed that prices ticked higher in June, rising to 2.6% from 2.4% in May. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The Fed held rates steady again at its most recent meeting this week. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has been pressured by Trump to cut the benchmark rate, though that decision isn't his to make alone, but belongs to the 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee. Businesses, investors and the Fed have been operating under a cloud of uncertainty from Trump's tariff policy. Companies have been warning investors that unpredictable policies, with some tariffs already in effect while others change or get extended, make it difficult to plan ahead. Walmart, Procter & Gamble and many others also have warned about import taxes raising costs, eating into profits and raising prices for consumers. In other dealings early Monday, U.S, benchmark crude oil lost 18 cents to $67.15 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 23 cents to $69.44 per barrel. The U.S. dollar rose to 147.80 Japanese yen from 147.26 yen. The euro weakened to $1.1577 from $1.1598.
