B8 Business The Boston Globe THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
TALKING POINTS
ASSOCIATIONS Agenda
PARTNERS CEO
JOINS MASS.
COMPETITIVE
PARTNERSHIP
New Partners HealthCare CEO Anne Klibanski has joined the Massachusetts Competitive
Partnership, a group of chief executives at some of the state’s largest employers. The
MACP held its first meeting with Klibanski on Wednesday. The appointment was not un-
expected: Previous Partners CEO David Torchiana also held a seat on the business group’s
board. She joins 15 other CEOs who represent sectors ranging from life sciences to finan-
cial services, and high-tech to energy. Putnam Investments CEO Bob Reynolds chairs the
group, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals CEO Jeff Leiden is the vice chairman. — JON CHESTORIDE HAILING
MASS. LYFT DRIVERS
FILE CLASS-ACTION
SUIT CLAIMING THEY
ARE NOT
INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTORS
Lyft drivers in Massachusetts filed a new class-action lawsuit against the ride-hailing
company this week claiming they are being misclassified as independent contractors. The
action follows a federal appeals court ruling that could keep the drivers from being bound
by arbitration agreements. The lawsuit was filed by Boston attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan,
who opened a new driver misclassification case against Uber in Massachusetts last week on
the same grounds. Liss-Riordan also filed a new lawsuit against Uber in California, and has
one pending there against Lyft. Judges in the appeals court case found that a carveout in
the Federal Arbitration Act exempting transportation workers from arbitration agreements
may also apply to drivers transporting passengers. This decision opens the door to lawsuits
by Uber and Lyft drivers who were blocked from joining previous cases because they had
signed arbitration agreements. Earlier this year, Uber reached a $20 million settlement
with drivers in Massachusetts and California who had opted out of the company’s
arbitration clause. — KATIE JOHNSTONAVIATION
STRUGGLING
AIR INDIA PUTS ITS
CREWS ON CHEAPER,
LOW-FAT DIET
Cash-starved Air India is putting its crew on a diet,
changing their inflight menu to special low-fat
meals. Dhananjay Kumar, the state-run airline’s
spokesman, said Wednesday that the objective is to
provide healthy and cost-effective meals to crews
on domestic and international flights. Kumar
declined to comment on media reports that the
cost per meal, mostly vegetarian, will fall to one-
third of the current 500-800 rupees (up to $11) per
meal. — ASSOCIATED PRESSVAPING
INDIA LATEST
COUNTRY TO BAN
ELECTRONIC
CIGARETTES
India became the latest country to ban electronic cigarettes only days after Juul Labs Inc.’s
products vanished from online Chinese marketplaces, signaling that Asian nations may be
no refuge for the industry from an escalating crackdown in the United States. The Narendra
Modi-led government announced an executive order Wednesday banning the sale and
production of all e-cigarettes, echoing growing concerns worldwide over health risks
associated with the smokeless nicotine devices popular with teenagers. India’s decision
follows similar prohibitions in about 27 other countries including Australia, Singapore, and
Brazil, and comes on the heels of halted online sales of Juul’s products in China, the world’s
largest tobacco market. — BLOOMBERG NEWSCONSTRUCTION
HOME BUILDING
ROSE MORE THAN
12 PERCENT
IN AUGUST
The pace of home construction jumped 12.3 percent last month to a 12-year high on a surge
in apartment building. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that housing starts
came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.36
million, the most since June 2007 and up from a
revised 1.22 million, as builders overcame a shortage
of skilled workers and available land. Economists had
expected a more modest gain and in another
promising sign, permits, a sign of future building,
rose 7.7 percent to 1.42 million, the highest since May- Construction of single-family homes rose 4.4
percent to 919,000. Building of apartments and
condominiums surged 30.9 percent — the biggest
monthly gain since December 2016 — to 424,000.
Residential construction rose 30.5 percent in the Northeast, 15.4 percent in the Midwest,
and 14.9 percent in the South, but it was unchanged in the West. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
FINANCE
INSTITUTIONAL
INVESTORS WANT
COMPANIES TO
ADDRESS
DEFORESTATION
Institutional investors with more than $16 trillion in assets under management, including
Europe’s biggest asset manager, Amundi SA, called on companies to implement anti-
deforestation policies for their supply chains and report extensively on how they tackle the
issue. The 230 investors, which also include BNP Paribas SA and the California Public
Employees’ Retirement System, signed a common statement in reaction to the fires that are
raging in the Amazon. The initiative, coordinated by non-profit groups PRI and Ceres, is
part of growing international pressure on Brazil to deal with the increase in blazes in the
Amazon rain forest. — BLOOMBERG NEWSTOYS
‘PETS’ WHO DEMAND
HANDS-ON CARE
COULD BE HOT
SELLERS THIS
HOLIDAY SEASON
Millennials raised on Tamagotchis are now present-wrapping parents themselves, and the
US toy industry is taking note. Whether it’s dolls that bloom like flowers when watered or
matted rescue pups that shiver until they’re groomed, toy makers are betting that ‘‘pets’’
demanding hands-on care will be in high demand this holiday season. Highlights of Toy
Insider’s Hot 20 list, an industry publication’s best guess at which items will be the most
coveted this season, include Rizmo by Japan’s Tomy Co., a creature from outer space billed
as the first-ever ‘‘evolving’’ toy that can learn songs as it grows into an adult. The Scruff-a-
Luvs My Real Rescue from Australia’s Moose Toys comes out of its packaging as a ball of fur
that doesn’t transform from shelter-rescue pet to puppy or kitten until it’s been given some
extra attention. — BLOOMBERG NEWSOFFICE SPACE
DELAYED WEWORK IPO
IS AFFECTING REAL
ESTATE DEALS
IN LONDON
Deals for two major London buildings leased
mostly to WeWork are on the ropes. Saudi-
based Sidra Capital has pulled out of a 90
million-pound ($112 million) deal to buy 70
Wilson St. near London’s financial district as
the flexible-office giant’s planned initial public
offering got an increasingly rocky reception
from investors, according to people familiar
with the matter, who asked not to be identified
discussing private negotiations. Separately, talks have stalled on the sale of WeWork
Waterloo, which the company describes as the largest co-working facility in the world,
according to other people with knowledge of the negotiations. — BLOOMBERG NEWSAVIATION
BRITISH AIRWAYS
PILOTS CALL OFF
PLANNED STRIKE
British Airways pilots scrapped a planned one-day walkout scheduled for later this month
to pursue “meaningful new discussions” as the union sought to end a deadlock over wages.
The British Airline Pilots’ Association said it was calling off the Sept. 27 action “before the
dispute escalates further and irreparable damage is done to the brand,” and demanded the
carrier negotiate seriously to end the dispute. Last week, British Airways began offering full
refunds or rebooking on alternate days or airlines for passengers scheduled to fly on the
strike day. British Airways was forced to scrap almost all of its scheduled flights during the
previous two-day walkout starting Sept. 9, amounting to more than 3,200 departures and
arrivals. — BLOOMBERG NEWSREAL ESTATE
Mortgage rates
The latest mortgage rates will be released
Thursday. Last week, Freddie Mac
reported that a 30-year, fixed-rate loan
rose to 3.56 percent from 3.49 percent
the week before.Friday
WORKSHOP
Develop your perfect
pitch
Learn how best to seek funding for your
startup at this workshop from Startup
Boston Week 2019. Attendees will pitch
in front of an audience to a panel of
investor judges and get feedback.
Pitching spots are limited to those who
have an active startup and are close to
pursuing funding. Friday, 10:15 a.m. to
2:15 p.m., CIC - Boston, 50 Milk St., 1st
floor - Anchor, Boston. Free. Register
online or go to the business agenda at
bostonglobe.com.WORKSHOP
Get funded
Learn how to transition your startup to
the big-time at this talk from weeklong
business festival Startup Boston Week- Topics include how to attract
investors before your product has gained
traction. Friday, 2:15 to 3:45 p.m., CIC -
Boston, 50 Milk St., first floor - Anchor,
Boston. Free. Register online or go to the
business agenda at bostonglobe.com.
CLASS
Sharpen your people
skills
Refine your ability to build relationships
with investors and evaluate potential
partners at this seminar during Startup
Boston Week 2019. Friday, 12:30 to 3
p.m., CIC - Boston, 50 Milk St., first floor -
Anchor, Boston. Free. Register online or
go to the business agenda at
bostonglobe.com.TRAINING
Analyze this
Learn how to use Google Analytics at this
course from General assembly. Friday, 10
a.m. to 4 p.m., GA Boston, 125 Summer
St., 13th floor, Boston. $150. Register
online or go to the business agenda at
bostonglobe.com.Eventsofnote?E-mailusat
[email protected]