No Uber app? No problem at Pearson; is competition lacking in Canada?, and more top news

The news Canadian professionals are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation by clicking the hashtags below.

If you're landing at Toronto airport anytime soon and you're looking to get an Uber, ordering a car just got a little easier. The transportation giant has introduced a new kiosk system at Pearson Airport. The kiosk, which looks like an ATM, allows travelers to get an Uber without using their cell phones or apps. Airport officials say the kiosks will help crack down on unlicensed transport, or "scoopers." The kiosk marks the first time a person can book an Uber without using a smartphone. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Speaking of Uber: Its second-quarter results last month have some questioning if and when the world's biggest ride-hailing company can turn a profit. It's lost money every year, including over $5 billion in the latest quarter (a more complicated number than at first glance, however). And while the company's losses may be slowing and revenue increasing, growth appears to be decreasing as well. Competitors are also nibbling at the toes of every market it serves. Some suggestions by market experts to make Uber more profitable? A merger with competitors to consolidate operations; leaning more heavily on other mobility verticals like Uber Eats, and the use of autonomous vehicles. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

The Canadian economy weathered the financial crisis better than most but some big structural issues have made it less competitive than other developed economies, argues a column in The Economist. Indeed, Canada's labour productivity is significantly less than that of the United States and income per person is $13,000 less than its southern neighbor. Canada is also not creating competitive international firms, with even its natural resource companies often swallowed by global competitors. The report notes that with an aging population, Canada's growth will need to come from more innovation and competition. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Hurricane Dorian continues to batter the Bahamas after hitting the islands Sunday, destroying homes and causing extreme flooding. The Category 5 storm — the strongest category possible with "catastrophic" winds — is making its way toward the U.S with the National Hurricane Center predicting Dorian could hit a range of possible landfall sites, from Florida to the Carolinas, next week. Both governors of Florida and South Carolina have declared states of emergency in anticipation of what could be "the strongest hurricane to hit its east coast in nearly three decades." ? Here’s what people are saying. 

While support for labor unions reached 64% this year, actual membership has fallen to 10.6% (around 6% in the private sector), from 20% in 1983. Reasons for the decline are numerous, but with a growing number of teacher strikes as well as calls to unionize workers at companies like Amazon, the concept of traditional unions is back in the news — with research suggesting that the rise in income equality in the U.S. is linked to the decline. A recent New York Times article notes that grass-roots labor activism is actually on the rise and while internationally, labor union membership has also declined, it still stands at 91.8% in Iceland, 26.5% in Canada, 24.7% in the U.K., and 11.2% in France. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

?Idea of the Day: People starting their professional lives today will have to shape their careers with much more flexibility than any other generation that came before, says Janina Kugel, Chief Human Resources Officer at Siemens AG.

“Agility isn’t merely a term that became a buzzword in the wake of the digital transformation. It stands for an attitude and a dynamism that drives progress.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

— Jessica Hartogs