Kaiser engineers continue negotiations into the holidays
by“We were heroes and now it’s like we’re zeros to them.”
Business
Bay Area restaurants remain resilient after federal aid programs end
byThe COVID-19 pandemic hit restaurants hard across the United States. However, despite catastrophic predictions in early 2020, fewer than 14% closed, according to the National Restaurant Association.
Labor shortage burdens small Palo Alto businesses as vaccine mandates strain hiring
byThe National Federation of Independent Business reported in October that over half of small business owners have job vacancies they cannot fill.
San Francisco seeking to help small, minority-owned businesses access federal financial assistance
byIn December 2020, while there are approximately 135 businesses in Japantown, at least 13 businesses closed during the COVID lockdowns.
Japantown’s Hotel Battle Comes to an End, But Community’s Struggles Continue
byPeninsula Press’ Natasha Jessen-Petersen talks to Steve Nakajo, the executive director of the Japantown Taskforce, and others in the community to discuss the role of Japanese American history and the future of Japantown.
Huge ships wait in line in southern California. Why don’t they call at the Bay Area?
byPort of Oakland bar pilots say the number of ships that are calling in the Bay Area are at a low. They’re hoping the situation will change in the coming weeks — by convincing more cargo ships to head to Northern California.
Downtown Mountain View’s Businesses Seeking Creative Ways to Avoid Shuttering
byOn Mountain View’s Castro Street, local businesses are brainstorming new plans to survive as public health guidelines continue to change and an end to coronavirus restrictions remains out of sight.
From interpreters and journalists to pet sitters, California’s gig economy law has independent contractors fretting
byCalifornia’s gig economy law, which will take effect Jan. 1, was designed to protect workers from being misclassified as independent contractors. But as a side effect, it leaves millions of independent contractors in California worried about their livelihoods.
Small business association pushes to remove parking meters in San Jose
bySAN JOSE — Business owners on San Jose’s East Santa Clara Street, a corridor next to downtown that is comprised of 30 blocks of shops, salons, restaurants and community centers, say the presence of numerous parking meters in the area is turning away potential customers.
San Jose businesswomen transforming former laundromat into indoor market for local vendors
bySAN JOSE — A new kind of market will soon open up on the East Santa Clara Street corridor in San Jose. Urban Kiosk, set to open just two blocks east of San Jose’s city hall, is an indoor market that will house local vendors selling crafts, wares and goods.
Truck owners protest against AB 5, a California “gig economy” law
byBAY AREA — Some truck “owner-operators” – who invest in their own vehicles and work as independent contractors to other trucking firms – say a new law taking effect on Jan. 1 will put them out of business. Supporters of the law say it will give protections to misclassified contract truck drivers.
Apprenticeships expand, struggle to make up years of dried-up pipeline
bySAN JOSE — As training centers respond to a growing demand for skilled workers with more and larger classes, enrollment has not been able to make up for the talent gap created by the 2008 economic recession. At the Loyd E. Williams Pipe Trades Training Center, more than 500 apprentices train every week to become plumbers, steamfitters and refrigeration technicians — the most in 15 years.