Economist Tyler Cowen and former world chess champion Garry Kasparov (now the chairman of the nonprofit Renew Democracy Initiative) co-authored an opinion piece this week in Bloomberg arguing that “a pandemic is providing a tragic preview of some of the conditions UBI was conceived to address.” Though they worry about the cost of such a program, “And, though there are some…
Tag: wages
2020 Coursera Virtual Conference: Reflections and Resources
By the Coursera Conference Team The Coursera Conference is an opportunity for our global community to engage around innovative teaching and learning experiences. This year, after careful consideration for the growing concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19, the Coursera Conference transitioned from a two day, in-person event to a free, fully virtual experience focused on […]
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Amazon Told Workers Paid Sick Leave Law Doesn’t Cover Warehouses
Amazon workers in southern California’s industrial heartland say the company’s policies are forcing sick employees to work and that warehouses are refusing to comply with a state paid sick leave law meant to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks. From a report: In the Inland Empire region outside Los Angeles, Amazon workers told the Guardian they fear losing their jobs if they are ill…
Amazon Sales Surge But Bezos Says Coronavirus Costs Could Hit $4 Billion
Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos says it will take virtually all of its upcoming second-quarter operating profit to fund protective gear for employees and get products to customers. CNET reports: “If you’re a shareowner in Amazon, you may want to take a seat, because we’re not thinking small,” he wrote Thursday. “Under normal circumstances, in this coming Q2, we’d expect…
Will the Pandemic Inspire Silicon Valley to Do Good?
The global pandemic “has stirred up a missionary zeal throughout Silicon Valley,” writes Bloomberg:
Apple and Google put aside a decadelong rivalry to form an alliance to track the spread of infections. Facebook and Salesforce.com are procuring millions of masks for health care workers. Jeff Bezos is donating $100 million and Jack Dorsey $1 billion. In other corners of the Valley, people…
Gaps in Amazon’s Response as Virus Spreads To More Than 50 Warehouses
Shifting sick-leave policy and communication issues are causing employees to assert themselves after they stayed on the job. From a report: As millions of Americans heed government orders to hunker down, ordering food and medicines and books and puzzle boards for home delivery, many of Amazon’s 400,000 warehouse workers have stayed on the job, fulfilling the crushing demands of a country…
As We Remain at Home Due To Coronavirus, We’re All in Desperate Need of Distraction — a New Movie or Video Game Would Help
The ongoing coronavirus crisis has thrown the release schedule of cultural products into chaos, as now is an exceptionally bad time to drop anything that isn’t a government check for lost wages. Jeremy Gordon, writing for The Outline: Our cultural producers — movie studios, publishing houses, television networks, and so forth — must decide whether to go ahead with previously made…
McDonald’s Is Closing All Its Restaurants in the UK
An anonymous reader quotes the BBC:
McDonald’s will close all 1,270 of its restaurants in the UK by the end of Monday, as fears over the spread of coronavirus escalate. Previously, the fast food giant had closed its seating areas but had continued to offer takeaway and drive-through services. McDonald’s said it wanted to protect the wellbeing of staff and customers. On…
Coronavirus latest news: UK government to pay up to 80% of wages
The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237475-coronavirus-latest-news-uk-government-to-pay-up-to-80-of-wages/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Apple Liable For Millions In Unpaid Wages After Court Rules Retail Worker Bag Checks Illegal
The California Supreme Court in a decision (PDF) delivered on Thursday found Apple broke state law by not paying retail workers for the time they spent participating in mandatory bag and device searches, leaving the company liable for millions in unpaid wages. AppleInsider reports: In a unanimous ruling, the court holds employees were and are in Apple’s control during mandatory exit…