Employee Participation

Labor productivity is the top factor for becoming competitive in the manufacturing sector, according to a new global survey commissioned by Kronos Incorporated and conducted by IDC Manufacturing Insights.

More nonprofit employers are reporting growing confidence as 48 percent say they are hiring this year, representing a 6 percent increase from 2011, according to a survey by Idealist.org.

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.5 percent from April through June, as Americans cut back sharply on spending. The slowdown in growth adds to worries that the economy could be stalling three years after the recession ended.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits in Louisiana for the week ending July 21 fell from the previous week's total.

Detroit police officers, firefighters and other municipal union members picketed around City Hall Thursday to protest of a 10-percent pay cut and changes in health care benefits under contracts imposed by Mayor Dave Bing.

The Republican-led House has passed legislation that would freeze major government regulations until the unemployment rate, now at 8.2 percent, drops to 6 percent or below.