Canadian port labor dispute ends as workers accept offer | Logistics firms face increased demands among workers | Manufacturing, warehousing firms cut hours instead of staff
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada has confirmed a majority of its workers voted in favor of a contract offer from their employer, thus ending weeks of dispute that severely obstructed transportation of imports.
Truck drivers, package handlers, port workers, pilots and other logistics professionals are requesting new employment provisions to reward their COVID-19 performance and inflationary pressures. Employers such as UPS say they're responding by offering improved working conditions and higher salaries, while FedEx is yet to negotiate a new contract.
Employers in the US, particularly in struggling sectors like manufacturing, are cutting worker hours rather than carrying out layoffs. Average weekly hours for nonsupervisory employees in manufacturing dropped to 40.6, the lowest since the early moments of the coronavirus pandemic, and similar trends are taking place in truck transportation and warehousing. Despite challenging economic conditions, continued labor challenges have left companies hesitant to let workers go.
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Warehouses and distribution centers can tap into unused space by redesigning facilities and analyzing ways to improve established processes, according to real estate services firm Colliers. Solutions include tapping into unused vertical space, adding racks to dock doors and trimming obsolete or slow-moving merchandise through inventory right sizing and SKU rationalization.
The shift among telecommunications providers from 3G to 4G and 5G will require logistics providers to update systems and devices and employ new technology, writes Aliaksandr Kuushynau, head of Wialon at Gurtam. Speedier connections that use less power will help logistics pros realize new efficiencies with fleets and supply chains and "early adopters can reap the rewards sooner."
A.P. Moller-Maersk reported second-quarter net profit of $1.45 billion, much lower than the $8.62 billion recorded at the same point last year, which it attributed to continued inventory reductions among retailers and declining consumer demand for goods. CEO Vincent Clerc says the company has used all its tool to manage capacity and costs but notes that he hasn't seen "any sign of an expected volume rebound in the second part of the year."
David Morneau, co-founder and CEO of inBeat Agency, sets out 10 ways business-to-business marketers can generate leads on Instagram via brand awareness, community-building and thought leadership. Morneau uses examples of Instagram marketing from companies such as Caterpillar, Ahrefs, Asana and Slack to help B2B marketers get the most from the platform.
Personalization, powerful calls-to-action and creative subject lines are must-haves for effective email marketing, writes Alex Martin, co-founder and director of design at Codecrew. Martin also highlights email marketing mistakes such as emailing too frequently and not designing for mobile.
Critical and empathetic listening are essential for good communicators, and these skills can help win arguments, MSNBC's Mehdi Hasan writes in "Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking." Critical listening lets you absorb and evaluate information on the spot, while empathetic listening helps you understand the other person's perspective, Hasan explains.
An increase in the yield for the 10-year Treasury suggests investors expect interest rates to remain elevated, driven by continued resilience of the economy. "Now what the market's saying is, 'Well, if you're not going to get a hard landing, then why would I want to own 10-year notes?'" says Jim Caron, chief investment officer for portfolio solutions at Morgan Stanley Investment Management.
