BUSINESS
May 16, 2013 | By Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times
NEW YORK - The next wave of union protesters isn't blue collar. It's lawyers, paralegals, secretaries, helicopter pilots, judges, insurance agents and podiatrists. These white-collar workers are not exactly the picture of the labor movement, but they are becoming a more essential part of it as they turn to unions for help in a tough economy as bosses try to squeeze out more profits. "Employers have been downsizing, asking employees to take on larger roles, making them work more hours," said Nicole Korkolis, spokeswoman for the Office and Professional Employees International Union.
BUSINESS
December 30, 2011 | By Ken Bensinger, Los Angeles Times
Car dealers have found a new way to profit from people with money trouble: leasing them hand-me-down vehicles. The deals are pitched to customers as the cheapest way to drive a used car off the lot, with the added benefit of an easy escape for those who can't keep up with the payments. Few customers are told about the advantages on the other side of the trade. Leases can allow dealerships to sidestep interest rate caps, and there are fewer financial disclosures rules than with a conventional car loan.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
February 19, 2009 | Garrett Therolf
Los Angeles County supervisors announced Tuesday that they have agreed to a one-year contract extension with 17,000 public safety employees that involves no cost-of-living or salary increases. The contracts with firefighters, sheriff's deputies and others expired in December and January. The extension allows both sides to avoid negotiating a new three-year agreement during the county's uncertain financial circumstances. "There is nothing hidden in this. There are no side deals," said county Chief Executive William T Fujioka.
BUSINESS
September 23, 2008 | From Times Wire Services
Verizon Wireless, the second-largest U.S. mobile-phone company, will offer month-to-month contracts that don't have cancellation fees, a bid to attract customers wary of long-term commitments. Monthly subscribers will pay the same rates as those with long-term contracts, though they won't get discounts on new handsets, a Verizon spokeswoman said. Verizon and larger rival AT&T Inc. faced criticism from lawmakers and consumers who said fees for canceling contracts early were too high.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
June 24, 1989 | LOUIS SAHAGUN, Times Staff Writer
A ranking official of the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission said Friday the commission will urge transit district leaders to look closely at other ways to save money on the troubled Metro Rail subway project before taking the drastic step of terminating contracts. "It is important to sit down with a contractor and resolve an issue before taking a drastic step like this," said Richard Stanger, director of rail development for the county commission, which is providing 14% of the $1.25 billion needed for the first, 4.4-mile segment of the subway.
BUSINESS
March 30, 2013 | By Salvador Rodriguez
T-Mobile introduced its new no-contract Simple Choice Plan this week, with Chief Executive John Legere boldly telling users that if the service is not good, they can drop it after one month of trying it. The new plan includes unlimited talk and text and half a gigabyte of high-speed Internet data for $50 a month. Users can choose to pay an additional $10 for a total of 2.5 GB of high-speed data or $20 for unlimited high-speed usage. Adding a second line costs $30, and each line after that costs $10. Although T-Mobile says there are no contracts, users must either provide a T-Mobile-compatible smartphone or buy one from the company.