Advance Healthcare Network (12/14/15)

Med-Call Healthcare, a Chicago-based health care staffing firm, has acquired Med Staff On-Call, a nursing staffing solutions provider. All operations will be merged under the Med-Call brand name.

Wall Street Journal (12/15/15) Harriet Torry; Kate Davidson

The consumer-price index did not change in November after increasing a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Excluding the volatile energy and food categories, core prices increased 0.2%, the same pace of growth seen in October. The CPI met the expectations of economists polled by the Wall Street Journal.

Compared with a year earlier, overall prices rose 0.5%, the biggest 12-month increase since December 2014. Core prices rose 2% from a year ago, the biggest 12-month increase since May 2014.

Inflation remains restrained, due to the effect of lower gas prices. U.S. Federal Reserve officials are looking for signs that inflation is increasing as they consider whether to boost interest rates.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York (12/15/15)

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the general business conditions index was at -4.6 in December, six points above its November level, indicating that the pace of decline moderated somewhat. Business activity declined for a fifth consecutive month for New York manufacturing firms in December. However, nearly 25% of respondents reported that conditions had improved over the month, while 29% reported that conditions had worsened. Although the new orders index remained negative at -5.1, suggesting that orders continued to fall, the shipments index rose almost 10 points to 5.5, marking the first increase in shipments since the summer.

Labor market conditions deteriorated noticeably. The index for number of employees, negative for a fourth consecutive month, fell nine points to -16.2, and the average workweek index plunged 13 points to -27.3, its lowest level since early 2009.

Wall Street Journal (12/15/15) Douglas MacMillan

Seattle’s city council has approved legislation that will allow drivers of services like Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. to unionize, giving them the ability to negotiate their pay and working conditions. This is the first time a U.S. city has opened the door to unions for ride-hailing drivers.

“Unfortunately, the ordinance passed today threatens the privacy of drivers, imposes substantial costs on passengers and the city, and conflicts with long-standing federal law,” a Lyft spokesperson said.

Since the city council’s decision, drivers for ride-hailing services in Hawaii, Connecticut, Kansas, North Carolina, and New York have inquired about advocating for legal reforms in those states, according to Dawn Gearhart, a spokesperson for Teamsters Local 117.