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Europe
The Guardian

US labor unions saw membership gains in 2025, mostly in states with bargaining protections

Striking Starbucks baristas and SEIU members rally outside the former Starbucks Reserve Roastery during a Red Cup Rebellion strike over alleged unfair labor practices by Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle, Washington, on 13 November 2025. Photograph: M Scott Brauer/ZUMA Press Wire/ShutterstockView image in fullscreenStriking Starbucks baristas and SEIU members rally outside the former Starbucks Reserve Roastery during a Red Cup Rebellion strike over alleged unfair labor practices by Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle, Washington, on 13 November 2025. Photograph: M Scott Brauer/ZUMA Press Wire/ShutterstockUS unionsUS labor unions saw membership gains in 2025, mostly in states with bargaining protectionsUptick in US union membership coincides with high public approval ratings of unions After years of decline, union membership in the US increased by 411,000 members in 2025, the largest increase since 2008, according to a new report. The report makes clear the impact that “right to work” laws can have on union membership: most gains were concentrated in states that protect collective bargaining. Union membership rates in those states were nearly triple than the 26 states with so-called “right-to-work” laws that weaken union membership, according to the report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. States with collective bargaining protections saw an increase of nearly 305,000 union members in 2025, compared to about 107,000 in “right-to-work” states. States with protections have over 10.9 million members out of 76.9 million workers, compared to “right-to-work” states that have 3.7 million members out of 69.7 million workers. “Right-to-work” laws allow workers to “free ride”, or work under a collectively bargained contract agreement without paying union membership dues. Most right-to-work legislation was passed in the 1940s and 1950s after a movement from conservative activist Vance Muse, who coined the term and championed it in southern states with arguments to preserve Jim Crow-era laws. “The data consistently shows that workers earn higher wages when they are union members and work in states that protect collective bargaining rights,” said Frank Manzo IV, economist at the ILEPI and coauthor of the report. “More Americans are turning to unions as a bulwark against the rising cost of living..” In 2025, 19 US states passed 88 laws that expanded workers’ rights, according to a 3 September issue brief by State Futures and NYU Wagner Labor Initiative. Legislation included paid sick leave and medical leave passed in Virginia, warehouse worker protections passed in Connecticut and banning nearly all non-compete agreements in Washington. Earlier reports had shown that 2025 was a big year for unions: 16.5 million workers were represented by unions in 2025, the highest level recorded in 16 years, accounting for 11.2% of all wage and salary workers in the US. Union density, or the percentage of workers in a union, increased from 9.9% to 10.0% nationally in 2025. The uptick in union membership coincides with high public approval ratings of unions. According to a recently released Gallup poll, 71% of Americans approve of labor unions and 47% want unions to have more influence. Ahead of Labor Day, the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the US, released poll results that found 52% of the American public said they trust labor unions, compared to 32% who said they trust Democratic party and 26% who trust the Republican party. The poll also found young workers trust unions at higher rates, with 57% of young workers who are not in a union stating that they would join one if it were an option.

US labor unions saw membership gains in 2025, mostly in states with bargaining protections
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Quad pushes logistics network amid India-China thaw

Even as New Delhi works to consolidate a diplomatic thaw with Beijing, the Quad has advanced towards operationalising a logistics network designed to expedite humanitarian and disaster-relief operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Logistics Network (IPLN). According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday, the four participating nations achieved "significant progress" regarding standard operating procedures intended to establish a formal institutional framework for the network. The drill, hosted by Japan's Ministry of Defence on September 3 and 4, centred on simulated natural-disaster scenarios. Officials evaluated methods for pooling the existing logistical assets of all four partners to enhance operational coordination and interoperability. This engagement succeeded the initial IPLN tabletop exercise held in Hawaii during April last year, followed by a field training exercise conducted in December in Guam. Alongside logistical planning, the delegations deliberated on coordinating crisis-response and emergency relief efforts, while extending condolences to populations affected by recent flooding events. Originally introduced as a civilian initiative at the Quad leaders' summit in September 2024, the IPLN harnesses the existing logistics resources of the four countries strictly for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) purposes. The Tokyo exercise took place immediately following a high-level meeting in New Delhi between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, where both nations sought to build upon recent diplomatic momentum. The encounter marked President Xi's first visit to India in seven years.During the talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border remains fundamental to restoring bilateral normalcy, underscoring the necessity of adhering to established agreements and mutual understandings. Conversely, Beijing advocated for a strategy of parallel progress, suggesting that bilateral cooperation should advance concurrently with ongoing efforts to resolve the boundary dispute.\ Both governments noted the continued utility of active diplomatic and military mechanisms, referencing the 25th round of Special Representatives' talks held on August 25 alongside senior commander-level flag meetings on September 6 and 7. While the Quad consistently maintains that it does not function as a military alliance, focusing instead on maritime security, critical technologies and humanitarian assistance, Beijing has repeatedly characterised the coalition as an exclusive bloc engineered for containment, a perspective firmly rejected by New Delhi.

Quad pushes logistics network amid India-China thaw
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

BRICS outreach countries selected to reflect voice of Global South: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (Economic Relations) Sudhakar Dalela on Sunday said the countries invited for the BRICS outreach session were selected to ensure representation of key developing regions and to share the grouping’s work with wider Global South partners. Speaking on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Dalela said the focus of discussions during the summit was on ensuring that BRICS delivers outcomes and initiatives relevant to the Global South. “I think one common thread in the discussion both yesterday and today was as to how BRICS can come up with outcomes and deliverables which are relevant for the Global South in general,” Dalela said. He said that given the nature and membership of BRICS, it was decided to engage with leaders of developing country groupings from different regions. “In that context, it is in that spirit, in terms of the BRICS grouping, nature of BRICS grouping and its membership, it was felt that perhaps it would be a good idea to reach out to other continents and invite the country Chairs of the developing country groupings such as ASEAN, African Union, CELAC in the Latin American and Caribbean region, and also Gulf Cooperation Council and BIMSTEC,” he said. Dalela said representatives of these organisations were invited to understand and share what BRICS stands for and the initiatives being undertaken by the grouping. “See and share with them what BRICS is all about, what we are doing within the BRICS grouping,” he said. “We chose these few country Chairs of these organisations. BIMSTEC Chair was also invited, as I had mentioned earlier,” he added. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the trust of Global South nations in BRICS has grown as their voices are heard and solutions are developed with their participation. Chairing the BRICS session on “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth”, PM Modi said India has advanced the spirit of friendship, partnership and cooperation through the BRICS platform. “I can say from personal experience that the trust of Global South nations in BRICS has grown, because their voices are heard, their experiences are respected, and solutions are crafted not just for them, but with them,” PM Modi said. He also highlighted initiatives on disaster management, MSME cooperation and environment, and said BRICS cooperation should not remain limited to governments but should include entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women, youth and ordinary citizens. The 18th BRICS Summit, hosted by India under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration. The declaration covers issues including global governance, economic cooperation, trade, energy security, technology, climate change and reforms of international institutions. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

BRICS outreach countries selected to reflect voice of Global South: MEA
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

India, Uzbekistan discuss strengthening economic, financial cooperation in key areas

The meeting comes as India continues to expand its economic engagement with Central Asian countries, with greater cooperation. India and Uzbekistan are looking to deepen bilateral economic and financial cooperation, with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov discussing ways to strengthen engagement between the two countries. Sitharaman met Kuchkarov in New Delhi on Sunday, with the two sides exchanging views on areas of mutual interest and exploring avenues to further strengthen economic and financial ties, the Ministry of Finance said in a post on X. Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman met Mr. Jamshid Kuchkarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in New Delhi, today. The two sides discussed strengthening bilateral economic and financial… pic.twitter.com/X5wPwirHfY The meeting comes as India continues to expand its economic engagement with Central Asian countries, with greater cooperation in trade, investment and financial sectors offering scope to strengthen bilateral economic links. The discussions between the two finance ministers focused on areas where both countries can build closer institutional and economic cooperation. The meeting also assumes significance as India has been seeking to strengthen its engagement with Central Asia through greater economic and connectivity cooperation. Uzbekistan, as the region's most populous country and a key Central Asian economy, remains an important partner for India's regional economic outreach. The two sides also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, although the Ministry of Finance did not provide details of specific sectors or initiatives discussed during the meeting. The engagement with Uzbekistan came alongside Sitharaman's separate meeting with Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Seyed Ali Madanizadeh in New Delhi. During that meeting, Sitharaman thanked Iran for its active participation in the BRICS Summit and its engagement in discussions under the Finance Track. The two sides also exchanged views on economic cooperation in areas of mutual interest. India's parallel engagements with Uzbekistan and Iran come as New Delhi continues to use multilateral and bilateral platforms to strengthen economic partnerships with key countries. The discussions with Uzbekistan, in particular, are expected to support efforts to deepen financial and economic cooperation and identify additional areas for collaboration between the two economies. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

India, Uzbekistan discuss strengthening economic, financial cooperation in key areas
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

India's semiconductor sector draws $1.4 bn funding, half of it since 2025

Electronic Manufacturing Services has led India’s semiconductor sector’s funding, securing $313 million since 2025. India's semiconductor sector has attracted $1.4 billion in all-time equity funding across 281 funded companies, with nearly half of this amount - $701 million - raised since 2025 alone, according to data from Tracxn. The findings come days ahead of SEMICON India 2026, the country's flagship semiconductor conference and exhibition, which will be held from September 17-19 at Yashobhoomi in Dwarka, New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the fifth edition of SEMICON India 2026 on September 17, a mega-event set to bring together global semiconductor industry leaders, government officials, state representatives, and sector experts as India builds on the momentum of its growing semiconductor ecosystem. India is home to 3,557 companies in the sector, of which 142 have raised equity funding, out of 281 funded companies. The sector recorded $228 million in funding in 2026 year-to-date (YTD), according to Tracxn. Tessolve Semiconductor leads the sector in cumulative funding at $213 million till date, followed by ILJIN Electronics ($198 million) and VVDN ($129 million). Electronic Manufacturing Services has led the sector's funding, securing $313 million since 2025. Embedded Hardware ranked second, with $51.9 million raised since 2025 — entirely within the trailing 12 months — while Power Management Integrated Circuits and Fabless Semiconductor Manufacturers were among the other leading business models by funding. According to the report, the sector's funding rose from $49 million in 2021 to $473 million in 2025. The five-year funding compound annual growth rate (CAGR) stood at over 36 per cent. Bengaluru remained the dominant hub, home to 626 of the sector's 3,557 companies — about 18 per cent of the total — and accounting for 40.1 per cent of all equity funding raised to date. It was followed by Noida (16.4 per cent), Gurugram (10.7 per cent), Kochi (8.8 per cent) and Hyderabad (6.2 per cent) in terms of funding share. On exits, the report said acquisitions remained the primary route for Indian semiconductor companies, with the sector recording 62 acquisitions compared with 42 initial public offerings (IPOs). Companies reached acquisition in an average of 11.8 years from their first funding round, against 16.5 years for companies that went public, the report said. The largest exit on record was eInfochips' $282 million acquisition, followed by Narayan Powertech ($262 million) and SmartPlay Technologies ($180 million), as per the report.

India's semiconductor sector draws $1.4 bn funding, half of it since 2025
North America
CNBC Finance

NFL set for first-ever game in Melbourne, Australia, in international expansion

The San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams are heading to Australia, marking the longest-ever distance two NFL teams have traveled for a game. It's all part of the league's push to expand American football globally. A record nine international regular-season games will be played in 2026 – kicking off in Melbourne, the city's first NFL game, and followed by inaugural match-ups in Rio de Janeiro and Paris. The schedule also brings professional football to London, Madrid, Munich and Mexico City. NFL owners have already approved 10 international games for the 2027 season – the maximum number of games the league can play outside the United States per its current collective bargaining agreement with players. While NFL games are consistently the most-watched programming on television, the vast majority of the league's interest is American. For some context, last year's Week 1 game in Sao Paulo, Brazil — streamed on YouTube — between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers drew 18.5 million viewers in the U.S. and just 1.2 million viewers internationally. That delta is what's driving NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to seek global growth. Goodell has previously said he'd like to have up to 16 international games on the schedule. He also recently said he had "no doubt" a team would eventually be permanently located outside the U.S. "We are committed to continue to grow every year in what we're doing," NFL Executive Vice President Peter O'Reilly said in a conference call for reporters on Wednesday. "We learn in each new market and then build upon that. That will be true as we move forward. As the commissioner said, we have aspirations to go beyond that. We want to do it the right way – to go to the right markets at the right time." The NFL has a designed strategy to grow the game internationally. One key part is the league's relatively little-known Global Markets Program. Launched in 2022, the program gives NFL teams specific international marketing rights to build brand awareness and fandom. Every team owns at least one market. When games are played abroad, the teams that own those markets are the de facto "home team." The Rams own marketing rights in Australia. Later this year, when the 49ers play in Mexico – a region where they own rights – they'll be the home team. NFL clubs can apply for rights to international markets by submitting proposals to the International Committee for review each spring. The markets are often mildly based on geography. For example, the Rams own marketing rights in countries more easily accessible by West Coast teams, such as Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and — like the 49ers — Mexico. It also owns rights in the United Arab Emirates. Other franchises' rights are more driven by their specific owners' wishes. The Detroit Lions own Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany and Switzerland. The Los Angeles Chargers have Greece – and only Greece. Chargers owner Dean Spanos has Greek heritage. The NFL has chosen a team-led strategy to grow fandom internationally because it wants buy-in from its franchise owners, O'Reilly said. "It's one part of a larger strategy," O'Reilly said. "Having a favorite team is a key driver of lifelong fandom. Giving the clubs the option to apply, you want them to align with markets they're going to get behind. For the vast majority, those markets align with the markets we're committed to. It allows clubs the freedom to tailor to their priorities … working with our folks on the ground. "

NFL set for first-ever game in Melbourne, Australia, in international expansion
North America
CNBC Economy

South Korea's semiconductor exports just tripled year-over-year. Is it too much of a good thing?

South Korea's semiconductor exports have been an absolute boon for Asia's fourth-largest economy, sending overall numbers to a record. But the frenetic pace itself is causing concern about what's next. Semiconductor exports surged 209% from a year earlier to a record $46.65 billion in August, accounting for 47.5% of the country's $98.25 billion in goods exports that month, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported earlier this week. That was mainly due to AI infrastructure demand as large cloud providers including Google and Amazon expanded capital spending, it said. "In my estimate, semiconductor exports accounted for nearly 80% of export growth in August," Jeff Ng, head of Asia macro strategy at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, told CNBC. "Overall export growth was driven by chips, computers, and higher petroleum product prices." Growth in such figures is generally seen as a positive. But the extremely rapid pace here also raises concern about what happens if, or when, the boom starts to dissipate. "A gradual slowdown would be manageable. An abrupt stall is a different matter, because the economy already runs at two speeds, and the sectors that would need to take up the slack are the ones under pressure today," according to Dave Chia, an economist at Moody's Analytics. Monetary policy could also limit the cushion if the cycle turns soon. The Bank of Korea raised its base rate to 3% in August, its second consecutive hike, as core inflation remained elevated. Chia warned that if chip demand cools while policy is still tightening, "the windfall fades when domestic demand isn't strong enough to take over." And other, more traditional, sectors are struggling. Automobile exports fell 29.8% from a year earlier in August, although the trade ministry attributed much of the decline to summer-holiday timing and partial strikes. Chia also said factors like U.S. tariffs and a shift toward production in American plants also posed more persistent headwinds. Still, the BOK said in its August monetary policy decision that the recovery in consumption is gradually accelerating. MOTIR's data also revealed that non-semiconductor exports climbed 20% in August. If semiconductor momentum faded while other cyclical sectors performed well, he said, South Korea could still sustain annual real growth of around 2% to 3%, according to Homin Lee, senior macro strategist at Swiss private bank Lombard Odier. The analysts' near-term base cases also remain positive. SMBC's Ng expects overall export growth to remain positive over the next 12 months, although it could moderate because of base effects and stabilizing prices.

South Korea's semiconductor exports just tripled year-over-year. Is it too much of a good thing?
Europe
BBC Business

Five dead after Amazon cargo plane crashes at Miami airport

An Amazon Air cargo plane overshot the runway while attempting to land at Miami International Airport, killing five people and seriously injuring five more. The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft crashed just before 14:00 local time (19:00 GMT) after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The flight also hit several vehicles on the ground. Amazon said that it is "working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened". All flights were ordered grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as fire crews raced to the smoking crash site. The crash comes over Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel times of the year. "At least five people have lost their lives, and five others are injured," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a news conference on Sunday evening. "Right now, our focus is on the families, those who were injured, and the ongoing response," she continued. Three of the five people injured are in critical condition, said Miami Fire Chief Raied Jadallah. The mayor said they were all taken to hospital with "unknown injuries". Several of the injured were trapped inside or under vehicles on the ground, and needed to be extricated by fire and rescue crews, said Jadallah. Officials say it is too early to know the cause of the crash, and that it will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. The federal agency, which investigates all air crashes in the US, plans to hold a news conference on Monday. The Amazon flight operated by 21 Air, a charter company based in North Carolina, "overran Miami International Airport's diagonal runway and is disabled at the northwest end of the airport," the airport said in a statement. Miami Dade Fire Rescue said crews "arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing". Image source, Getty ImagesOver 200 firefighters responded to the crash. The flames were extinguished, but there is still a fuel leak at the site, said Jadallah.

Five dead after Amazon cargo plane crashes at Miami airport
Europe
BBC Business

Minister to meet Jaguar Land Rover boss as thousands of job cuts expected

Image source, Getty ImagesByArchie Mitchell, Business reporter and Imogen WallacePublished1 hour agoBusiness Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will meet the bosses of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and the Unite union to discuss the impact of thousands of expected job cuts at the car maker. JLR confirmed to the BBC it is opening a voluntary redundancy programme, a year on from a cyber attack which brought production to a halt for more than a month. The company did not confirm the numbers but the Times reported as many as 4,000 jobs may be lost due to the impact of tariffs and a drop in sales. Reynolds told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg the meeting early next week will focus on ways to "mitigate any job losses" but ruled out a bailout for the company. Asked about the cuts, which are believed to impact mainly white collar workers, Reynolds said: "A company the size of JLR, which is a huge British success story, at various times in its business cycle, the number of, directly, people it employs will change. "If this is about making sure over time that the workforce is right to make the business as competitive as possible, that's the conversation we need to have." He said there would be no support "if it's to bail people out", but opened the door to a "long-term investment in the future" of the company. The cuts come as Chancellor John Healey is preparing to deliver a speech in the Midlands on Monday promising to boost economic growth by changing how the government values investment in infrastructure such as transport and housing. JLR is based in Coventry, in the West Midlands. JLR has not confirmed the scale of the job cuts, but said they would "simplify" the business and "improve efficiency and build greater resilience". "Today, we informed our colleagues, and trade union partners that JLR is opening a voluntary redundancy programme offering salaried and management team members the opportunity to leave the business," a spokesperson said. "We will share further information with our colleagues first." It did not rule out the prospect of some compulsory redundancies as part of the plans. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the union had been warning about a "perfect storm" hanging over the automotive industry for some time.

Minister to meet Jaguar Land Rover boss as thousands of job cuts expected