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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Airport workers in Phoenix, Charlotte describe dangerous conditions during extreme heat.</li><li>They joined fast-food and farm workers this week in demanding employers provide water, AC, and rest.</li></ul>Cecilia Ortiz walks 10 to 15 miles a day for her job at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, pushing people in wheelchairs to their gates and carrying luggage.She loves her job, but it comes with risks, especially when temperatures reach triple digits for months in Phoenix. Ortiz said she sweats through her thick polyester uniform on jet bridges that aren't always air-conditioned. Access to cold water and rest breaks aren't guaranteed. Some of her colleagues who clean airplane cabins, transport luggage on the tarmac, or work as curbside agents have reported dizziness, nausea, and vomiting on the job — symptoms of heat exhaustion.Ortiz this week is joining workers in the airline, fast-food, and farming sectors in 13 cities to demand that employers provide education and training about the symptoms of heat exhaustion, develop a plan of action for getting employees medical attention, and ensure that employees have access to water, shade, air conditioning, and rest breaks. On Tuesday there were demonstrations at airports in Phoenix and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/service-workers-at-charlotte-airport-protest-for-heat-protection/">Charlotte, North Carolina</a>, and on Thursday workers plan to take a coordinated drink of water and share it across social media. Several labor unions are organizing the actions.Scorching heat is becoming more common in the US and around the world. Scientists have found that the climate crisis is causing more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting heat waves. Federal data indicates that each year <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/36-work-related-deaths-due-to-environmental-heat-exposure-in-2021.htm">dozens of workers in the US die from heat exposure</a>. This summer, a sanitation worker for the city of Baltimore died from hyperthermia, or overheating, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/07/15/usps-worker-heat-stroke-death-wendy-johnson/74414304007/">whether a postal worker's death in North Carolina was related to the heat</a>.There are no national standards to protect indoor and outdoor workers. The Biden administration in July <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bidens-heat-standards-workers-water-shade-rest-2024-7">proposed rules for employers with workers exposed to temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit</a> or higher, but it could be years before they take effect. The rules could also be scrapped if former President Donald Trump wins the election in November.Some states and cities have enacted their own policies, including California and Phoenix. This fall Maryland is expected to become the sixth state to adopt heat protections for workers. Meanwhile, Florida and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-extreme-heat-construction-crews-lose-breaks-water-2023-6">Texas have blocked such protections</a> at the local level.The Phoenix City Council in April unanimously passed an ordinance requiring all city contractors and subcontractors to develop heat-safety plans for outdoor workers, including at construction sites and airports. The ordinance also requires access to rest, shade, water, and air conditioning. By 2025, closed-cab vehicles, like those that move airport baggage, must have AC.Ortiz described the ordinance as a big win but said she still hadn't seen her employer, Prospect Airport Services, make changes. The company has more than 8,500 employees at 26 airports around the US and has contracts with airlines to provide passenger services, baggage handlers, and gate agents."The ordinance took effect in April, and we're in August now, still fighting for our basic human rights to a break and water," Ortiz said.She and other airport contract workers tried to deliver a copy of the Phoenix ordinance to their supervisor on Tuesday, but he wouldn't leave his office, Ortiz said. Last August, Ortiz and 10 other employees filed a complaint with Arizona's occupational-safety authorities, who opened an investigation and conducted an on-site inspection, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/09/06/phoenix-excessive-heat-airport-workers/">The Washington Post reported</a>. A spokesman for the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health told Business Insider they could not immediately provide information about that investigation.Unifi Aviation, the parent company of Prospect Airport Services, told BI in a statement that it had a heat-illness-prevention program that takes effect when temperatures exceed 80 degrees, adding that managers are encouraged to continuously check for signs of heat stress or illness among employees."All outdoor workers are provided with extra breaks, quick access to unlimited water, Gatorade, cooling towels and popsicles," the company said. "When possible, misting stations are also set up at the airports in partnership with airport or airline officials. Employees are also told not to sit or loiter in jet bridges for their own safety and that of those around them."In California, farm workers are especially vulnerable to extreme heat. Lourdes Cardenas is a farm worker who lives in Fresno, California, where it has reached upward of 105 degrees Fahrenheit this summer. She said even though the state has a heat protection law, companies don't always follow it. Last summer, while working in tomato fields without shade, she had a headache and vomited. She had to drive herself home to rest."Many workers don't say anything when they feel bad because they are afraid they will be fired, or because they earn so little that they feel they have to take risks to get a paycheck," Cardenas said during a press conference on Monday hosted by labor unions, including United Farm Workers.Fast-food workers at Waffle House and Starbucks told BI that AC units at some locations were broken for weeks last summer, causing the restaurants to be hotter than 80 degrees."We know that the planet is getting hotter and hotter every year, and we're seeing skyrocketing conditions for workers that people may not always think of when they think about the heat," said April Verrett, the president of the Service Employees International Union, which is helping organize this week's rallies. "Folks on jet bridges or in the kitchen, where temperatures can exceed 110 degrees — they're making these demands that it's time for employers to act now."

Airport, farm, and fast-food workers rally for better heat protections

<ul class="summary-list"><li>New York Times tech workers are ending their strike after a weeklong stoppage.</li><li>The strike aimed to disrupt election coverage but had limited impact on the Times' operations.</li></ul>New York Times tech workers are ending their strike and returning to work Tuesday after a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-times-tech-strike-disrupt-site-election-coverage-2024-11">weeklong work stoppage</a>, a Times spokesperson told Business Insider.The Tech Guild chose a crucial day to go on strike, the day before the November 5 US presidential election, a move that threatened to disrupt the paper's all-important election coverage.But the Times' site and its famous election needle that shows how a race is tilting operated just fine on election night, which could have deprived the guild of some of its leverage.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-times-tech-workers-cross-picket-line-election-strike-2024-11">Dozens of tech workers crossed the picket line</a>, showing splinters within the unit. The strike also exposed division between the guild and some Times journalists (who are represented by a different unit of the same News Guild of New York), who previously expressed to BI a lack of sympathy for the tech workers, given their relatively high salaries and potential for the strike to impact the outlet's core journalism mission.Formed in 2021, the Tech Guild represents upward of 600 engineers. It has been bargaining since 2022 and has been at odds with management over issues including remote-work protections, pay equity, limits on subcontracting, and just cause. Both sides are expected to resume bargaining at some point."We look forward to continuing to work with Tech Guild to reach a fair contract that takes into account that they are already among the highest paid individual contributors in the Company and journalism is our top priority," the Times spokesperson said.Union reps didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.This story is developing…

New York Times tech workers are ending their strike

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The New York Times' tech workers went on strike, risking disrupting the Times during the election.</li><li>The Tech Guild is seeking remote work protections, pay equity, and limits on subcontracting.</li></ul>The New York Times' tech workers went on strike Monday morning, threatening to disrupt the publication's operation during the presidential election and its aftermath.The Tech Guild, which represents workers like software developers and data analysts, said members would be picketing outside the Times' New York City headquarters. It asked the public to honor its digital picket line by not using the NYT Cooking app or playing popular Times games like Wordle and Connections.The stoppage could split the vaunted news organization between the Tech Guild and other newsroom members, who worry about how the strike could impact the outlet's ability to handle a surge in election-related traffic — especially as the Times increasingly depends on its digital operation. Digital-only subscriptions became the Times' biggest revenue stream in 2020."Sometimes you have to put the public service mission ahead of your self interest, and this is one of those times," said one newsroom employee, speaking anonymously to discuss the strike freely.The Times Guild, which represents non-tech workers, called <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/nytimesguild/status/1848727940969742519?s=46&amp;t=rey_6ejrzAuWHuW1na5T7g">on Times management</a> to complete a deal by Election Day."Can you imagine if our election needle didn't work, the app didn't open or the homepage went down?" the Times Guild said.The Tech Guild said it was bargaining over issues including remote work protections, pay equity, limits on subcontracting, and just cause.Times management has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/threat-of-new-york-times-tech-worker-strike-on-election-day-grows-174b1912">countered</a> that it made a strong offer promising tech workers generous pay and benefits, including total compensation (salary, bonus, and restricted stock options) of $190,000, or $40,000 more on average than journalists in the Times Guild."We look forward to continuing to work with the Tech Guild to reach a fair contract that takes into account that they are already among the highest paid individual contributors in the Company and journalism is our top priority," a Times spokesperson said in a statement. "We're in one of the most consequential periods of coverage for our readers and have robust plans in place to ensure that we are able to fulfill our mission and serve our readers."The Tech Guild, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/business/media/new-york-times-tech-workers-form-a-union.html">formed in 2021,</a> has been negotiating with management since 2022. It's made up of 600 members including designers, software engineers, data analysts, and project managers. It's represented by the NewsGuild of New York, which also represents more than 1,400 newsroom and business employees via The New York Times Guild. The NewsGuild also represents Business Insider employees.The Times signaled it's preparing for a long fight: Times Co. chairman AG Sulzberger wrote in a note that he expects the strike to continue at least through the election.This is a developing story and will be updated.

New York Times tech workers are going on strike at the worst possible time

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dozens of New York Times tech workers crossed the picket line amid a tech strike.</li><li>The Tech Guild is striking over remote work, pay equity, and subcontracting limits.</li></ul>Dozens of New York Times tech workers have crossed the picket line since the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-times-tech-strike-disrupt-site-election-coverage-2024-11">Tech Guild went on strike</a> Monday, sources said.Two knowledgeable sources, who were granted anonymity to speak candidly about internal operations, estimated about 100 of the Guild's 600 members were working on Election Day. Benjamin Harnett, an engineer at the Times and union steward, said the figure was under 50.Harnett said some members opted not to strike because they were on work visas, had concerns about job security, or were anti-union."Nobody wants to be on strike election night," Harnett said. "Everyone is talking about how disappointed they are. People are disappointed that management saw the deadline coming and decided not to meet it. There's definitely a few people conflicted about the mission, but the vast majority who expressed conflict have ended up on the picket."The Tech Guild, formed in 2021, represents Times workers like software developers and data analysts. It's striking over issues including remote work protections, pay equity, limits on subcontracting, and just cause.Times management has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/threat-of-new-york-times-tech-worker-strike-on-election-day-grows-174b1912">countered</a> that it made a strong offer promising tech workers generous pay and benefits, including total compensation (salary, bonus, and restricted stock options) of $190,000 — or $40,000 more on average than journalists in the Times Guild.The work stoppage threatened to disrupt the Times' operations during an expected election traffic surge. Some speculated that it could impact the Times' famous needle, a data visualization tool that shows which way a race is leaning. Nate Cohn, the Times' chief political analyst, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/Nate_Cohn/status/1853849211432734973">said</a> Tuesday that he didn't know if the Times would be able to publish the needle if there were bugs that couldn't be fixed due to the strike."Publishing the Needle live on election night relies on computer systems maintained by engineers across the company, including some who are currently <a target="_blank" class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/business/media/new-york-times-strike.html">on strike</a>," the Times' election analytics team wrote in an article published Tuesday. "How we display our election forecast will depend on those systems, as well as incoming data feeds, and we will only publish a live version of the Needle if we are confident those systems are stable."The strike has exposed some divisions among Tech Guild members — and between the guild and some Times journalists who have expressed a lack of sympathy for the tech workers. The Tech Guild had <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/nyt-tech-strike-fund">raised</a> nearly $108,000 on GoFundMe toward a $150,000 strike fund goal as of Tuesday evening.

Dozens of New York Times tech workers cross the picket line on Election Day

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amazon" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> announced a <keyword id="20724175" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="return-to-office" source="keywords">return-to-office</keyword> mandate requiring five days a week in the office from January.</li><li>One employee based in Germany told Business Insider that he plans to continue "<keyword id="20037519" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coffee-badging" source="keywords">coffee badging</keyword>."</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with an Amazon worker in Germany who spoke anonymously to protect their privacy. Their identity and employment have been verified by Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Amazon notified all employees on Monday about the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ceo-return-to-office-mandate-5-days-week-2024-9">new return-to-office mandate</a> requiring us to come into the office five days a week from January. My entire team was very shocked and worried. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-workers-blast-strict-rto-mandate-five-days-week-2024-9">Some people want to leave the company</a>. This is a betrayal to many people, especially those who were hired as <keyword id="21086606" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="remote-workers" source="keywords">remote workers</keyword>, and it is eroding our trust. Before Amazon made the announcement this week, I already had a feeling that a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-rto-faq-document-spells-out-new-rule-2024-9">stricter return-to-office mandate</a> was coming in 2025. That's because the leadership had made it very clear that this was the direction they were going to take through the last mandate, and in the last few months, things have become much stricter. In Germany, Amazon started enforcing the mandate that requires us to be in the office three days a week in June, but unlike in the US, we aren't <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-enforces-new-office-hours-rule-targets-coffee-badging-compliance-2024-7">required to come in for a certain number of hours</a> a day. People are still trying to adjust to the last return-to-office push. I live very close to the office, so I'm not personally so worried about having to do another two days in the office because I can just <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-still-coffee-badging-office-returning-home-linkedin-poll-2024-7">come in and swipe my badge</a>, stay for 15 minutes, and go back, so we still have some flexibility. I think the return to office policy is being used as a tool to carry out silent layoffs, as I've seen many bright engineers leave the company after the last mandate. People are definitely terrified about what this will mean for them. A few colleagues have contacted me and told me they are considering leaving the company, even going to lower-paying jobs. Having a flexible remote working policy did not have a big impact on productivity. If you create an atmosphere of growth and drive people, they will always deliver, regardless of where they work. I think this has been sufficient as long as people do their jobs to their best. I see the value in coming together occasionally and brainstorming, but outside that, it's unnecessary to always work from the office. The new mandate will be difficult for many people who moved away from the office during the pandemic, have childcare commitments, or experience social anxiety and are now forced to come into the office. Apart from the RTO announcement, I found out in the news that Amazon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-fewer-managers-leaked-document-2024-9" target="_blank">plans to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers</a> at least 15% by the end of next year's first quarter. It was a surprise because we already have a resource crunch. We have fewer people doing a lot more work, which has meant that I, and some other employees, have felt unhappy. Now with Amazon wanting to reduce the head count going forward, it will make things very difficult for employees. In many teams, there are between eight and 12 people managed by one person; ideally, it would be six people under one manager. This means some managers are already overburdened, which will only worsen. Cutting <keyword id="23230284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="middle-managers" source="keywords">middle managers</keyword> is going to impact everyone, because one manager overseeing so many people means that you don't have enough time to have conversations around career development, you can't work on innovation, or on stakeholder engagement. The consensus among other Amazon employees I've spoken to is that they plan to leave when the economy and job market improve. They are already frustrated and under a lot of stress, and the new RTO policy and job cut plans are only increasing the tension. I think other Big Tech companies will follow Amazon's suit and require employees to return to the office five days a week, too. A spokesperson for Amazon told Business Insider that they observed that being in the office together makes it easier for employees to learn, model, collaborate, and be better connected to one another. They added that the return-to-office guidance is an effort to strengthen its culture. Correction: September 18, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misdescribed Amazon's plan to cut managers. It plans to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by the end of next year's first quarter, not cut 15% of middle managers. Are you a tech worker with insight to share? Contact the reporter, Jyoti Mann, via the encrypted messaging app Signal (jyotimann.11) or email (jmann@businessinsider.com) from a nonwork device.

I work at Amazon and I plan on 'coffee badging' instead of working from the office 5 days a week 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>SpaceX workers got stuck on a barge with a spaceship full of toxic fuel in 2010, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-grimes-baby-name-new-book-character-limit-2024">a new book reports</a>.</li><li>After the Dragon spaceship's first flight, a SpaceX crew retrieved it from the ocean.</li></ul>If you think your job is exciting, try <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/early-spacex-engineer-crawled-inside-imploding-rocket-liftoff-book-2021-3">working at SpaceX</a> in its early days.As author Eric Berger puts it, "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-for-elon-musk-spacex-workplace-culture-twitter-jim-cantrell-2022-11">SpaceX was not a job; it was a lifestyle</a>."In his first book, for example, one engineer told him about crawling inside an imploding rocket, while others talked about<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-rocket-engineers-island-without-food-mutiny-liftoff-book-2021-3"> running out of food on a small Pacific island</a>.For his latest, "Reentry: SpaceX, Elon Musk, and the Reusable Rockets that Launched a Second Space Age," published in September, Berger spoke with about 100 current and former SpaceX employees.In the new book, Berger recounts the night SpaceX engineers got stuck on a barge and slept near a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-discovers-urine-leak-on-crew-dragon-spaceships-2021-10">spaceship</a> full of potentially explosive gases.The team was helping SpaceX secure much-needed cash flow from NASA. CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spouse-married">Elon Musk</a> had been "weeks away from personal bankruptcy" just two years earlier, Berger, who is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, writes.Here's what happened, according to Berger's book.SpaceX did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.<h2 id="4fe7f3df-1143-41c3-8d2f-4549d8db431a">Dragon's first flight</h2>Musk wanted SpaceX's flagship Dragon spaceship — designed to shuttle cargo and NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station — to be reusable.Reusability is the company's signature, making its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-setback-mishap-with-nasa-astronaut-rescue-mission-2024-10">Falcon 9 rocket</a> launches significantly cheaper than NASA's Space Shuttles.<div type="image" title="crew dragon endeavour crew 2 spacex iss arrival" height="1280" width="1920" msid="114825661" hostid="261" sizebytes="86124"></div>That meant SpaceX engineers had to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-spacex-nasa-crew2-astronaut-mission-splashdown-landing-ocean-2021-4">retrieve Dragon from the Pacific Ocean</a> after its first flight in December 2010.It didn't go exactly as planned.<h2 id="f71787eb-f77e-4e05-bfb0-2bad68072bcd">The danger of Dragon's explosive fuel</h2>The fuel inside Dragon is hypergolic, meaning its components spontaneously combust when they meet. That makes it simple to ignite the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-thruster-tests-may-take-weeks-before-astronauts-come-home-2024-7">thrusters</a> — just open the valves between the fuel components.It also put the ship's first recovery crew at risk.SpaceX had never flown Dragon before, so nobody knew how much damage it would sustain during reentry. It could have fuel leaks, which would pose an explosion risk.That's why SpaceX workers immediately <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-robot-dog-wreckage-exploded-starship-rocket-2021-3">checked for leaks</a>, according to the book. An engineer named Kevin Mock extended a 20-foot pole with a "sniffer" tool, which can detect propellant gases in the air, toward the spaceship bobbing in the water.<div type="image" title="person in a hardhat works on equipment on the outside of a towering, dirty-looking white spaceship" height="1536" width="1920" msid="114825573" hostid="261" sizebytes="412400"></div>With no leaks detected, the team hauled Dragon onto the barge with a crane. Then, two engineers and three technicians donned protective gear and independent air supplies, boarded the barge, and began the hazardous task of emptying the spaceship's fuel tanks.That went off without a hitch, and the team returned to the crew boat to sleep. The next day brought trouble.<h2 id="a643d234-ad9f-43c1-b27f-18b991659a1a">Stuck sleeping in a shipping container</h2>On day two, Mock's five-person team spent about eight hours draining fuel from the spaceship's system and storing it in containers.The ocean became rough, buffeting the barge with large waves by nightfall. When the workers were ready to return to the crew boat, the captain decided conditions were too dangerous for them to cross over.Mock and his crew were stuck on a barge full of toxic, highly reactive fuel and had no beds for the night.The SpaceX employees on the crew boat filled a trash bag with snacks and a thermos of coffee, shoved sleeping bags into another trash bag, and threw both onto the barge. Mock's crew laid their sleeping bags inside a 20-foot-long shipping container on board the barge."We got the best night's sleep we could," Mock told Berger. "We were exhausted, so I can't say that I slept terribly that night."The next day, they finished emptying the spaceship's propellant."It's the hardest work I've ever seen at SpaceX or anywhere," Roger Carlson, a physicist who was watching from the crew boat, told Berger.Berger's new book said that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-workers-took-adderall-slept-bathroom-iv-treatments-deadlines-report-2023-11">working at SpaceX</a> in those days was tough, but the gig had a strong appeal."You're going to work super hard, but you're also going to get to work on cutting-edge stuff," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-autocratic-style-success-politics-harm-2024-9">Berger told BI when promoting the book</a>. "After a few years there with that on your résumé, you can basically write your ticket anywhere in the industry you want to go."Berger wrote that after that first flight, SpaceX got authorization to ship Dragon back to its facilities on land after depressurizing the propellant system.Future crews did not have to spend days offloading hypergolic fuel at sea. These days, retrieving a Dragon only takes a few hours and hasn't caused deadly explosions.The Dragon spaceship went on to become a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-spacex-administrator-bill-nelson-boeing-starliner-rocket-elon-musk-2022-9">staple of NASA's programming</a>, transporting supplies and astronaut crews to and from the International Space Station. It's also flown five <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-polaris-dawn-splashdown-mission-advanced-elon-musk-mars-plan-2024-9">private crew missions</a>.

Early SpaceX workers got stuck overnight on an ocean barge with a toxic spaceship, new book reports

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-grad-gave-up-six-figure-jpmorgan-finance-job-satisfaction-2024-8">JPMorgan</a> CEO Jamie Dimon said he's bothered by federal employees not working in their DC offices.</li><li>Dimon requires his employees to work at an office at least three days a week.</li></ul>Federal workers in Washington, DC, still have flexibility about where they work, and JPMorgan Chase CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-career">Jamie Dimon</a> isn't impressed.Speaking at The Atlantic Festival in the nation's capital on Friday, Dimon discussed politics in the US and abroad in response to a question from Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic. Dimon spoke on a variety of topics related to how the government should be run and approach major problems. While he isn't running for office, his name has reportedly come up in discussions as a potential <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-floated-donald-trump-kamala-harris-treasury-secretary-2024-8">Treasury Secretary</a> for both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.In the middle of an answer, Dimon added: "By the way, I'd also make <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-mom-expat-raising-kids-dubai-better-mother-relocation-uae-2024-8">Washington, DC,</a> go back to work. I can't believe, when I come down here, the empty buildings. The people who work for you not going to the office.""That bothers me," Dimon added. "I don't allow that at JP," he said, referring to JPMorgan.He's not the first CEO this week to comment on RTO. On Monday, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said that employees at his company would return to working in an office <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ceo-return-to-office-mandate-5-days-week-2024-9">five days a week</a>, effectively returning to its pre-pandemic norm.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-requiring-return-to-office-rto-mandate">JPMorgan's own return-to-office policy</a> requires managing directors to be in the office five days a week. The bank's other employees must work in person at least three days a week.Last year, the Biden Administration pushed for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-admin-pushing-for-federal-workers-to-return-to-office-2023-8">federal employees to return to in-person</a> office work.Many federal workers have indeed returned to the office for at least part of the week. The exact split varies by government agency, though.Some Environmental Protection Agency workers, for instance, can spend as few as two days in the office per pay period or about four days a month, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2024/08/an-updated-list-of-agencies-return-to-office-postures/">a list</a> compiled by the Federal News Network and updated last month.Other agencies, such as the Department of the Treasury and the Department of the Interior, require some employees to be in the office at least 50% of the time, according to the list.Only about half of federal employees have the option to work remotely, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/OMB-Report-to-Congress-on-Telework-and-Real-Property.pdf">a report</a> to Congress from the Office of Management and Budget last month. The other half "work entirely in person already," the report says.The amount of empty office space in DC remains at a historic high. Office vacancy stood at about 22% during the second quarter of 2024, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cbre.com/insights/figures/washington-dc-office-figures-q2-2024">CBRE</a>.The federal government is one of the reasons. For example, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission decided to cut its office space in the capital in half during the quarter, CBRE said.But DC's downtown also includes many private-sector offices that attracted lawyers, consultants, and others during the workweek before the pandemic sent many people to work from home.Dimon did acknowledge that some of his JPMorgan employees have a long commute and might prefer working from home. He also said, however, that employees who don't like their RTO policy can find jobs elsewhere, according to The Economist.

Jamie Dimon is the latest CEO to weigh in on RTO — this time, for DC federal workers

A sixth-grade social science textbook that I read described India as a piece of fabric, with countless threads coloured in a myriad of majestic shades, woven together. This metaphor holds exceptionally well when put into the context of our <keyword id="22706215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-industry" source="keywords">handloom industry</keyword>. India has a rich history of handlooms and weaving cultures. The culture of handlooms is so intricately woven into Indian culture, that there are whole towns dedicated to the same: <keyword id="248532" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chanderi" source="Orion">Chanderi</keyword> in Madhya Pradesh to Pochampally in Telangana and a dozen more! Unfortunately, the handloom industry in India is dying. The struggle is multi-faceted, ranging from a declining workforce to fierce competition from <keyword id="20496028" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="power-looms" source="keywords">power looms</keyword>. Hence, five years ago, August 7 was proclaimed <keyword id="22677698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Handloom-Day" source="keywords">National Handloom Day</keyword> in response to this crisis and to heighten public awareness. This date holds special historical significance, commemorating the initiation of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905—a pivotal act of defiance against British colonial rule. <h2>When did this industry come into existence?</h2>According to archaeological findings, the origins of handloom in the Indian subcontinent may be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The Mughal Empire was known to support and patronise <keyword id="20258864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="weavers" source="keywords">weavers</keyword>. The support from the royal patrons resulted in the invention of new textiles such as ‘Mulmul’ and ‘Banarasi Brocade’ among others. This era witnessed a heightened worldwide demand for Indian textiles. In the 17th century, India produced 25% of the world’s textiles, with Bengal accounting for more than 50% of textiles and 80% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia. <h2>What led to the decline of the <keyword id="19934660" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-handloom" source="keywords">Indian handloom</keyword>?</h2>The East India Company's entry fuelled the industry's initial decline, which started in the 1830s. The weavers were obliged to sell only to the British, and that too at exceedingly cheap prices, virtually putting them out of business. On the other hand, Indian cloth was taxed excessively to promote machine-made British clothing. The Industrial Revolution in Britain strengthened their indigenous textile industry, giving rise to new markets for cheaper textiles. In India, the collapse of the Mughal aristocracies meant no access to royal patronage. As a result, textiles like Khadi and muslin had little demand in the market. Circling back to the present, the industry is facing both similar and new challenges. Fabrics made on power looms are cheaper and faster to produce, in comparison to handloom fabrics. The industry is largely unorganised, and the wages are shockingly low. 67% of <keyword id="22706216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-workers" source="keywords">handloom workers</keyword> are earning less than the minimum wage every month. Faced with economic challenges, the older artisans are thus forced to encourage the newer generation to choose an alternative career path. This migration of the workforce from a traditional sector is evident from the fall in the number of weavers less than 35 years of age- from 26.13 lakh in 2009-10 to 16.07 lakh in 2019-20. The majority of weavers do not have access to banking facilities, let alone institutional credit. Furthermore, if one manages to accumulate credit, there is a mismatch between the supply and demand forces due to the lack of awareness about handwoven textiles in the current generation. <h2>Initiatives for revival</h2>The cultural significance of the Indian handloom isn’t just limited to its beauty and extravagance, but it extends to our independence struggle as well. The Swadeshi movement immortalised the charkha and advocated for the use of indigenous goods. Following independence, the Indian government took many measures to revive the handloom industry. In 1953, India’s Parliament approved the Khadi and Other Handloom Industries Development Act. In 1955, the All India Handloom Fabrics Marketing Cooperative Society was formed to promote the sale of fabrics produced by handloom cooperatives across India. The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) aimed to provide financial assistance for marketing and production. The Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme offers health and life insurance to weavers, to ensure social security. The organisation commenced a fortnight-long exhibition, “VIRAASAT” dedicated to celebrating the 10th National Handloom Day began at Handloom Haat in Janpath, New Delhi on Saturday, 3rd August 2024, and will conclude on 16th August 2024. The Handloom Mark scheme was introduced to authenticate handloom products, thus enabling weavers to gain better market access and ensuring that consumers get genuine products. Moreover, the India Trade Portal also mentions that the GOI plans to provide financial assistance of Rs. 30 crore to at least 10,000 handlooms. Various state governments also regularly conduct handloom expos and fairs, providing platforms for weavers to showcase and sell their products directly to consumers. <h2>Contemporary Brands and their love for Indian handloom</h2>Modern, popular designers such as <keyword id="8264" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sabyasachi" source="Orion">Sabyasachi</keyword> and <keyword id="21493890" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ritu-kumar" source="keywords">Ritu Kumar</keyword> are known to work closely with weavers and have been doing their part by bringing worldwide attention to the handloom industries. Recently, <keyword id="1472101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajrakh" source="Orion">Ajrakh</keyword> was brought into the limelight when Alia Bhatt wore a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Ajrakh saree to Joy Awards in Riyadh. However, it’s not just the fashion moguls who are working towards the revival of this industry. Contemporary indie brands are partnering with local weavers, and creating awareness about their work. The emergence of such indie brands and their association with local artisans is beneficial for both entities. For instance, Joskai Studio derives its name from ‘Joskai’, a woven piece of cloth worn as a part of the traditional costume of the Tiwa community of Assam. They work with artisans in northeast India, specifically from the weaving village of Saualkuchi in Assam. Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan is a Kerala-based brand that works strictly with weavers from Kerala, specifically Chendamangalam and Kuthampally. <h2>Employment and Exports</h2>According to the Indian Trade Portal, the Indian handloom sector is the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture in rural areas. The Handloom Census 2019-20 mentions that the industry employs about 35,22,512 workers across the country, with women forming 77.29% of the workforce. India is the second largest exporter of handloom products in the world, with exports valued at $ 353.9 million in 2017- 18, as per EXIM bank's working papers. The major handloom export centres are Karur, Panipat, Varanasi and Kannur where handloom products like bed linen, table linen, toilet linen, floor coverings, and embroidered textile materials and curtains etc. are produced for export markets. During April 2021-February 2022, India exported handloom products worth 1693 crore, as per Indian Trade Portal. Indian silk scarves also form a sizable chunk of total handloom exports, in addition to home textiles like carpets, rugs and mats, which constitute over 13.6% of India’s total handloom exports. <h2>The Path Forward</h2>The mere existence of organisations and allocation of funds isn’t enough to sustain the legacy of India’s rich handloom industry. Big corporations working with local weavers ensure employment but don't protect them from exploitation and meagre wages, leaving them vulnerable. The people in power ought to come up with strategies that ensure the trickle-down effect of the schemes and funds. The new generation of buyers has a greater purchasing power than the one before them. Marketing focused on bringing Indian handloom practices into the limelight can do wonders in this case.

Fabric of a nation: Sustaining India's handloom legacy in modern times

<ul class="summary-list"><li>DoorDash has partnered with two companies to use hourly employees with benefits.</li><li>That's a change for a delivery service that built its business on contractors who are paid per gig.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-doordash-workers-spend-surprisingly-short-time-doing-job-2024-9">DoorDash</a> is experimenting with using employees with benefits — not just independent contractors — to make deliveries.The delivery service is working with at least two local delivery providers, one in Austin, Texas, and another in Fresno, California, through its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://about.doordash.com/en-us/local-commerce-service-partner?_gl=1*ng6v7y*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MjIyNjYzMjcuQ2owS0NRanctNXkxQmhDLUFSSXNBQU1fb0tubGp5QjdiOHNzU05OdDR6dE1Bcl9kZmd3YlJTQkpGUTBORE5RaVM3YVdUVkRoTVRYMHlNZ2FBbDJERUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_dc*R0NMLjE3MjIyNjYzMjcuQ2owS0NRanctNXkxQmhDLUFSSXNBQU1fb0tubGp5QjdiOHNzU05OdDR6dE1Bcl9kZmd3YlJTQkpGUTBORE5RaVM3YVdUVkRoTVRYMHlNZ2FBbDJERUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*MTg2ODQwNTE2MC4xNzE5OTI1Nzc0&amp;_ga=2.69043863.760568407.1727102173-897592233.1703081308">Local Commerce Service Partner Program</a>. The local providers handle hiring the employees, but the orders that they fill come from DoorDash.Websites for both companies say they are hiring W2 employees. That's a big change from the gig workers that DoorDash and other delivery services have largely built their businesses on.Though small in scale, the partnerships represent a fundamentally different business model from the one that DoorDash has used to become one of the world's largest delivery services.Since its founding in 2013, DoorDash has relied on independent contractors, who are generally paid for each delivery they complete and have more flexibility about when they work than traditional employees. Uber, Lyft, Instacart, and other delivery companies have also relied on gig workers to build their businesses, leading millions of people in the US into the gig economy.But using employees who are paid hourly and work shifts of up to several hours at a time helps make sure DoorDash always has people on hand to make deliveries, a company spokesperson said."We remain committed to preserving and protecting the flexibility of independent work that the vast majority of Dashers prefer," a DoorDash spokesperson said, referring to the company's independent contractors."However, we also know there is a small subset of workers who prefer set schedules and the predictability of W2 work, which is why we're piloting LCSP in select markets to focus on maintaining healthy supply levels and supplement the handling of new and different types of orders," the spokesperson added.LCSPs are local commerce service partners, or businesses that "operate their own delivery business and employ their own fleet of delivery associates who fulfill deliveries offered through the DoorDash platform," according to DoorDash's website.One of the partner companies, Fresno Logistics, says on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.fresnologistics.com/dash/">its website</a> that it offers "high-quality logistics services to restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, and a variety of other businesses (e.g., retail) in the Fresno, CA area through the DoorDash Platform."Fresno Logistics' website touts the benefits for potential hires, including a $16-an-hour wage, tips, reimbursement for miles driven while on the job, healthcare, and paid time off. While not a direct comparison, that's much more than some gig delivery workers take home: A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-doordash-drivers-earn-below-minimum-wage-tips-study-2024-5">UC Berkeley study</a> this year found that many make less than minimum wage after accounting for expenses such as gas.Austin-based LCSP One, meanwhile, says on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://lcspone.com/">its website</a> that it pays W2 workers $13 an hour plus tips and a per-mile reimbursement of 10 cents. Full-time delivery employees work four 10-hour shifts scheduled Monday through Friday each week, while part-time workers must make at least 20 hours worth of deliveries, according to the website.The home page of its website says that the company offers employees "gig-work mentality with a career mindset."Fresno Logistics and LCSP One did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.Gig workers lack many of the benefits and legal protections that employees get. Some gig workers have said that their pay has decreased over the last few years, especially compared to early 2020, when demand for the delivery of groceries, takeout food, and other goods rose.Others have had their accounts on the delivery apps deactivated with little or no explanation. And some gig workers have pointed to performance metrics, such as the percentage of potential orders that they accept, saying that they make the work more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/doordash-grubhub-uber-workers-gig-work-feels-like-a-job-2024-8">like a traditional job.</a>Making deliveries as an employee could solve some of those problems by giving workers more predictable pay and reimbursing them for miles driven.The amount delivery services pay gig workers has been going up in some cities, too. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/doordash-regulatory-response-fee-nyc-minimum-wage-law-delivery-workers-2024-2">New York City</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instacart-doordash-pushing-back-against-seattle-gig-worker-laws-payup-2024-4">Seattle</a> recently enacted laws meant to raise gig worker pay.Do you work for a gig delivery service and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:abitter@businessinsider.com">abitter@businessinsider.com</a>

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