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Baltimore mayor vetoes bills giving hospitality workers job protection

BALTIMORE — Baltimore’s mayor has vetoed two bills that would have required hospitality businesses to rehire laid-off workers in the city once they reopen and hotels to retain staff if owners change.

The Baltimore Sun reports Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young made the veto this week.

The Baltimore City Council approved both bills by wide margins amid pushback from the hotel industry. But Young said the legislations overreached the authority of the city government.

The bills were supported by Unite Here, a union that represents workers in the hospitality industry. Unite Here’s Local 7 President Roxie Herbekian said Young’s claims “that the legislation oversteps the law is bogus.”

Airport bottlenecks ease as TSA workers get paid, but shutdown continues

Frustrating security lines dwindled at U.S. airports Monday, clearing the worst bottlenecks as Transportation Safety Administration officers began receiving backpay for working during the government shutdown. Checkpoint lines that at times stretched to four hours at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport shrank to waits of 10 minutes or less on Monday. In other previous trouble spots such as Atlanta and Baltimore-Washington International Airport, travelers were moving smoothly to their flights. After weeks of airport chaos, there was finally optimism for the beleaguered aviation system. Weary travelers hope the overdue paychecks will end the seemingly endless security lines and missed flights many experienced. It remains unknown how long federal immigration officers will maintain a visible presence in airport terminals as the busy spring break travel season continues.
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