>>Hotel Workers To Rally Today
(Undated) -- Thousands of hotel workers are planning May Day rallies in at least 18 cities across the U.S. and Canada, looking for better pay and working conditions. The unionized workers are in talks with Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels for new contracts for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to union leaders, hotel staffing is down since 2019 while revenue is up to record levels. Rallies are planned for cities including Boston, Baltimore, Miami, San Francisco and Toronto. The rallies fall on May Day, a traditional celebration of the working class.
>>Walmart Closes All Healthcare Centers, Stops Virtual Health Services
(New York, NY) -- Walmart is closing all 51 of its healthcare centers and stopping virtual healthcare services. After making a large push into healthcare in recent years, the company is shutting locations down in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri and Texas. The largest retailer in the U.S. seems to be taking a major turn in strategy that could leave a gap in healthcare access, particularly among lower-income patients without insurance.
>>Americans Worried About Losing Job
(Undated) -- A quarter of American workers are worried that they may lose their job in the coming year. A survey by OnePoll found that they're worried about the job market and the stability of their industry. Others are also worried about falling behind or lacking the skills needed for what they consider success.
>>Home Prices Soar Despite High Mortgage Rates
(Washington, DC) -- Home prices are hitting record levels despite high mortgages rates. According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, prices jumped more than six percent on a year-over-year basis in February. That's the third straight month of gains for the 20-city composite index. Prices in San Diego saw the biggest gain, up more than eleven percent from one year ago. Chicago and Detroit round out the top three cities with annual increases of almost nine percent.
>>Philips Reaches $1.1 Billion Settlement
(Andover, MA) -- Philips Healthcare is agreeing to a one-point-one-billion-dollar settlement following lawsuits and recalls over its CPAP sleep apnea machines. The FDA said it had received more than 100-thousand reports on problems with the insulating foam in the devices, including more than 500 reports of death. Philips and its Philips Respironics brand announced the settlement this week while denying any fault or liability. The affected devices were sold between 2008 and 2021, according to Philips' summary of the settlement.
>>WeWork Accepts Bankruptcy Deal, Rejects Adam Neumann's Offer
(New York, NY) -- WeWork is moving ahead with a bankruptcy deal and rejecting a 650-million-dollar buyback offer from the company's co-founder. The office space company announced on Monday that it reached a 450-million-dollar settlement with its junior creditors and rejected a bid from former owner Adam Neumann. WeWork says it's new restructuring plan would pay off the company's four-billion-dollar debt load by the end of May, and would hand the company's equity to its senior lenders. WeWork was once valued at 47-billion dollars and filed for bankruptcy last November after many office employees started working remotely.
