Trader Joe’s legal fight with its own union has been restocked. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, a federal appeals court, has ruled the company can proceed with a trademark infringement case agains...

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By Erwin Seba HOUSTON (Reuters) -More than 300 United Steelworkers union (USW) refinery and chemical plants workers meeting in Pittsburgh approved on Thursday proposals for labor negotiations set to begin early in 2026 with energy companies, said Mike Smith, chair of national oil bargaining for the union. The current four-year contract covering 30,000 workers expires shortly after 12 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2026. The USW members work at refineries that account for over half of national crude oil processing capacity. USW negotiators led by Smith and including International President David McCall and International Vice President Roxanne Brown will begin meeting in January with negotiators from Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC), which will be representing the industry. "As the lead company in national pattern negotiations, MPC looks forward to productive negotiations with the USW and is committed to working toward a mutually satisfactory agreement,” said Marathon spokesperson Jamal Kheiry. A key issue will be wage increases for refinery and chemical plant workers, who average more than $50 an hour for inside operators. “I would say the proposals on wages are significant for the times in which we are living,” Smith said. He declined to be more specific about the union’s wage proposals. Another top issue is the cost of health care, Smith said. “We’re trying to secure good decent health care without bearing the brunt of rising costs,” he said. And as with many industries, the union has a proposal on artificial intelligence. “The AI proposal is really to protect us as we try to understand the impacts on our sector,” Smith said. A supermajority of local unions must approve the proposals agreed to in Pittsburgh within 45 days so they can be brought to the bargaining table. Smith said he could not now predict how difficult or easy the negotiations might be with Marathon. At negotiations in 2022, the USW secured a 2.5% wage increase in the first year, 3% in both the second and third years and 3.5% in the fourth year. With valuations skyrocketing in 2024, many investors are uneasy putting more money into stocks. Sure, there are always opportunities in the stock market – but finding them feels more difficult now than a year ago. Unsure where to invest next? One of the best ways to discover new high-potential opportunities is to look at the top performing portfolios this year. ProPicks AI offers 6 model portfolios from Investing.com which identify the best stocks for investors to buy right now. For example, ProPicks AI found 9 overlooked stocks that jumped over 25% this year alone. The new stocks that made the monthly cut could yield enormous returns in the coming years. Is MPC one of them?

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Investing.com -- United Airlines flight attendants voted to reject a tentative agreement for a new contract with the carrier on Tuesday, according to their union. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 28,000 United flight attendants, reported that 92% of eligible voters participated in the ballot, with 71% voting against ratifying the agreement. The rejected deal, reached in May between the union and United, would have provided flight attendants with an estimated 40% financial gain in the first year of the new contract. Ken Diaz, president of the United Airlines chapter of the AFA-CWA, stated that the agreement "didn’t go far enough to address" the flight attendants’ demands. "Our union will survey members as quickly as possible to identify the key issues Flight Attendants are ready to fight to achieve in an agreement they want to ratify," Diaz said. The union will now return to negotiations with United Airlines until a new agreement is reached. United’s flight attendants, who filed for federal mediation in 2023, are seeking several improvements including a double-digit increase in base pay, better compensation for all hours worked - including ground time - retroactive pay, more flexible scheduling, and improved work rules. The flight attendants have not received a pay raise since 2020. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. With UAL making headlines, savvy investors are asking: Is it truly valued fairly? In a market full of overpriced darlings, identifying true value can be challenging. InvestingPro's advanced AI algorithms have analyzed UAL alongside thousands of other stocks to uncover hidden gems. These undervalued stocks, potentially including UAL, could offer substantial returns as the market corrects. In 2024 alone, our AI identified several undervalued stocks that later surged by 30 or more. Is UAL poised for similar growth? Don't miss the opportunity to find out.

(Reuters) -Flight attendants at United Airlines voted on Tuesday to reject the tentative agreement for a new contract with the carrier, their union said. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents 28,000 of United’s flight attendants, said 92% of the eligible voters cast a ballot, with 71% voting not to ratify the agreement. The agreement, which the union and United had reached in May, was estimated to result in a financial gain of 40% for the flight attendants in the first year of the new contract. The president of the United Airlines chapter of the AFA-CWA, Ken Diaz, said on Tuesday that the agreement "didn’t go far enough to address" the demands of the flight attendants. "Our union will survey members as quickly as possible to identify the key issues Flight Attendants are ready to fight to achieve in an agreement they want to ratify," Diaz said. United’s flight attendants, who filed for federal mediation in 2023, are seeking a new contract that includes a double-digit increase in base pay, better compensation for all hours worked — including time on the ground — as well as retroactive pay, more flexible scheduling and improved work rules. They haven’t received a pay raise since 2020. With valuations skyrocketing in 2024, many investors are uneasy putting more money into stocks. Sure, there are always opportunities in the stock market – but finding them feels more difficult now than a year ago. Unsure where to invest next? One of the best ways to discover new high-potential opportunities is to look at the top performing portfolios this year. ProPicks AI offers 6 model portfolios from Investing.com which identify the best stocks for investors to buy right now. For example, ProPicks AI found 9 overlooked stocks that jumped over 25% this year alone. The new stocks that made the monthly cut could yield enormous returns in the coming years. Is UAL one of them?

Justicia Shipena  Mineworkers will soon benefit from a new Retirement Incentive Benefit, set to take effect on 1 August 2025.  The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) announced the initiative during its second regional roundtable discussion in Oranjemund, ǁKaras Region. The benefit will be available to members who are at least 60 years old and have been with MUN for a minimum of five years. MUN general secretary George Ampweya said the initiative fulfils a resolution passed at the 2010 Congress and is part of the union’s efforts to recognise long-serving members. The roundtable brought together union leaders, members, and experts from various sectors to address workers’ challenges in the country’s mining and related industries.  MUN acting president Poco-Key Mberiuana emphasised the importance of engaging with members to understand their concerns.  “With close to 10,000 members, it is vital that we come closer to our members and see the issues they face in their daily lives,” he said. ǁKaras regional chairperson Allen Kalumbu expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the roundtable, emphasising the significance of giving members a voice.  He also urged Natangwe Ithete, the minister of industry, mines, and energy, to engage directly with workers in the region to ensure their concerns are addressed at the highest government levels. The event also saw the launch of the MUN member benefits app in partnership with myGateway. The platform provides access to discounts at selected retailers. During the roundtable, MUN leadership engaged in open-floor sessions and discussions on key issues affecting members.  Topics included ongoing initiatives and updates on programs designed to improve workers’ livelihoods.  MUN assistant general secretary Paulus Situmba shared details about Namit Trust’s funeral cover benefits, which offers up to N$10 000 to a member’s family in the event of death. Members of the southern region welcomed the opportunity to engage with the leadership.  The branch information and publicity officer at Rosh Pinah Zinc Mine, Martin Mareka, praised MUN’s commitment to directly addressing members’ concerns.  Gabriel Abraham, education coordinator at NAMDED, emphasised the importance of the union as the “voice of the voiceless,” dedicated to securing equitable benefits for all workers. Ezegiel Tjirare, a long-serving member, found the event motivating and enlightening, especially for those who may not fully understand the responsibilities of union leadership.

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