GM's Barra joins strike talks; high-earners prefer to rent, and more top news

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General Motors chief Mary Barra sat down with United Auto Workers officials at the bargaining table, in the latest sign that a deal on a new four-year contract for 46,000 auto workers may be nearing. One point of contention has been the length of time it takes the workers to reach full wages. A strike that began when talks stalled a month ago has halted work at 31 GM factories, including 21 in the U.S., and caused layoffs at plants in Mexico and Canada, as well as at many GM suppliers. ? Here’s what people are saying.

A record number of high-earning Americans are opting to rent, mired by meager savings and increasing debt. In 2019, about 19% of six-figure income households rented their homes, up from 12% in 2016, per The Wall Street Journal. Developers are increasing construction of luxury apartments, while corporations take over housing to boost profits with rent. Homeownership in the U.S. is at its lowest since the 1960s, and the declining trend threatens to widen America’s wealth gap by eliminating homeownership as a means for the middle class to accumulate wealth. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

E-cigarette maker Juul is facing its first wrongful death lawsuit, after the mother of an 18-year-old filed the case in federal court in San Francisco, claiming the nicotine products played a significant role in his passing. Meanwhile, a Michigan judge overturned a recent ban on flavored e-cigarettes. So far, 26 people have died from vaping-related illnesses, with more than 1,200 cases of illness recorded, per the Center for Disease Control and Protection. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

The world’s largest theater chain is joining the streaming wars. AMC Entertainment’s online video store will peddle roughly 2,000 films for sale or rent ?— in direct competition with Apple, Amazon and other a la carte streamers. Like its competitors, AMC’s streaming films will arrive 90 days after their cinema run. The move appreciably acknowledges that Hollywood sees its future in streaming. Theaters have plumped up ticket and concession prices in recent years as sales have flattened, a strategy experts caution “has its limits.” ? Here’s what people are saying.

Almost half of California schools will delay their start times by around 30 minutes, after a new law passed that says high schools in the state cannot start until 8:30 a.m., and middle schools 8 a.m. The rule, a first in the country, is part of an effort to get children to sleep more and is backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends teenagers get between 8.5 and 9.5 hours of sleep "to function at their best." Some say, however, that the law could unfairly impact parents with inflexible working schedules.? Here’s what people are saying. 

Idea of the Day: Closing the gender gap means teaching adolescents why equality matters, says Bridget Lohrius, founder of Tin Roof Communications.

“It… would help to educate adolescents around why gender equality matters. How balance helps drive community and commerce.”

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