Gettelfinger: UAW will continue fight

Gettelfinger: UAW will continue fight

DETROIT

United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday the union will continue to fight for federal card-check legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize, a high priority for the UAW as it continues to lose thousands of members.

In his final speech to the UAW after eight years as president, Gettelfinger also urged members to back union-friendly candidates in the November elections, saying conservative politicians showed their contempt for the UAW last year when they opposed the government’s bailout of General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC.

China ratchets up trade war with US

WASHINGTON

China is heightening trade tensions with the United States by taking steps that could make it harder for U.S. software, clean-energy and other cutting-edge companies to sell in the Chinese market.

Beijing has proposed rules that U.S. businesses say would lead its government agencies to buy high-tech and other goods only from companies that develop the technologies in China. It also plans to subsidize Chinese companies in industries such as clean energy.

U.S. business groups warn that such efforts could, for example, exclude wind turbines from General Electric Co., Siemens and other foreign providers from government-financed wind-power projects.

Moody’s cuts credit rating of Greece

ATHENS, Greece

Moody’s Investors Service slashed Greece’s credit rating to junk status Monday in a new blow to the debt-ridden country that is under intense international scrutiny after narrowly avoiding default last month.

A Moody’s statement said it was cutting Greece’s government-bond ratings by four notches to Ba1 from A3, with a stable outlook for the next 12-18 months. It was the second of the three major agencies to accord Greek bonds junk status. Standard & Poor’s did the same in late April.

Starbucks to offer unlimited free Wi-Fi

CHICAGO

Starbucks Corp. will begin offering unlimited free wireless Internet access at all company-operated U.S. locations starting July 1, part of an ongoing effort to bring more customers in the door.

The Wi-Fi access, which eventually will include a new network of news and entertainment content exclusively for customers, comes as Starbucks works to take business back from rivals such as McDonald’s Corp. and independent cafes that have long offered free Internet.

Associated Press