Uber, Lyft Face California Suit in Crackdown on Driver Benefits

In this article

Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. face a lawsuit by California and three of its biggest cities for allegedly violating a new state law designed to give ride-share drivers and other gig-economy workers the benefits of employees.

While expected, the lawsuit that officials said is being filed Tuesday marks a serious threat to the business model of an array of companies that save on labor costs classifying workers as independent contractors. If the companies ultimately lose the suit, they could be forced to pay for overtime, health care and other benefits.

The complaint “asserts that Uber and Lyft gain an unfair and unlawful competitive advantage by inappropriately classifying massive numbers of California drivers as independent contractors,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said during a virtual press conference. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego are joining the legal action.

Uber spokesman Matt Kallman didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Lyft also didn’t immediately respond.

— With assistance by Lizette Chapman, and Josh Eidelson

Impossible Foods will try to save Kroger from the meat shortage

Impossible Foods isn’t going to let a nationwide meat shortage stop Americans from making burgers.

The maker of the plant-based Impossible Burger will start selling its signature patties in Kroger’s 1,700 supermarkets across the US, with the announcement coming a day after Kroger posted an alert on the meat section of its website warning that it may have limited inventory “due to high demand.”

Kroger, which also operates Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Ralphs, Smith’s and other stores, will sell the vegan burgers online as well on its website for curbside pickup and delivery, starting Tuesday.

Impossible already sells its products in about 2,700 US grocery stores including Albertsons, Safeway, Gelsons in Southern California, Fairway Markets among others.

Impossible Foods expects to expand its retail footprint fifty-fold this year, it said, as demand for plant-based meat soars both in retail and restaurants among health and environment conscious customers.

Grocers have been bracing for a run on meat in mid-May as major meat processing plants, including Tyson Foods, have been forced to shut down production. But the shortages appear to have come earlier than expected as consumers worried about the meat shortage have been stocking up, experts say.

Tyson Foods, which had closed a number of plants last month after employees had become ill with the coronavirus, said on Monday that the pandemic will disrupt the meat supply chain for many more months despite an executive order from President Trump to keep processing plants open.

With Post wires

US trade gap surges to $44.4 billion as coronavirus savages business

The US trade deficit rose in March as the coronavirus outbreak battered America’s trade with the world.

The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the gap between what the US sells and what it buys abroad widened 11.6 percent in March, to $44.4 billion, from $39.8 billion in February. US exports fell 9.6 percent, to $187.7 billion, on plunging orders for cars, auto parts and industrial machines. Imports fell 6.2 percent, to $232.2 billion.

Total trade — exports plus imports — came in at $419.9 billion in March, down 7.8 percent from February and 11.4 percent from March 2019.

The politically sensitive deficit in the trade of goods with China fell 21.3 percent, to $15.5 billion, in March as exports rose slightly and imports plummeted.

The coronavirus and the lockdowns and travel restrictions meant to contain it have hammered the world economy and paralyzed global trade.

In March, the US ran a $21.2 billion surplus in the trade of services such as tourism and banking. But it registered a $65.6 billion deficit in the trade of goods such as cars and appliances.

LIVE STREAM: Rockies vs. Tigers in MLB The Show 20, May 5, 2020

With the start of the Major League Baseball season postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, we here at The Denver Post took a look at how the Rockies would fare in MLB The Show 20 on PlayStation 4. We will have a story for every game that had been scheduled until real-life baseball returns. Here’s a look at the virtual Rockies’ preseason preview. Entering Tuesday’s game, the Rockies were 23-10.

DETROIT — The Rockies (23-10) take on the Tigers (14-21) in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday. The live stream will begin at 2 p.m. MT.

Mobile users, if you can’t see the video, tap here.

West Kelowna man facing charges after allegedly breaking into local business, fleeing with stolen property

An Okanagan man is facing multiple charges after allegedly breaking into a West Kelowna business last week and fleeing in a stolen vehicle.

According to West Kelowna RCMP, officers were called to the 2600 block of Compass Court on April 30, at 6:30 a.m.

Winnipeg senior charged in fatal West End crosswalk crash

A Winnipeg senior has been charged in connection with a crash that killed a woman crossing a West End street at a crosswalk last summer.

The woman in her 20s died a week after she was hit while crossing Sargent Avenue at the crosswalk at Simcoe Street on July 31, 2019.

COVID-19 crisis: The hunt for hackers & adjusting to a new normal

On this edition of the Sky News Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan, we discuss the easing of lockdown measures and cyber attacks targeting vaccine researchers with our chief political correspondent Jon Craig and The Spectator’s Kate Andrews.

We also speak to the Nobel prize-winning American economist Joseph Stiglitz about the wider impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of globalisation and US-UK trade talks.