September 28, 2001 - MPR's Bill Catlin reports that a federal district court in Minneapolis has appointed a trustee to represent the clients of financially struggling Stockwalk Group. The action comes as the third largest Twin Cities brokerage has had to freeze 190,000 customer accounts and is looking for a partner or buyer.
October 1, 2001 -
October 1, 2001 - Driving past the state offices this morning you'll notice workers out in front carrying picket signs. Members of AFSCME Council 6 and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees are on strike. They walked off the job at six this morning after contract talks broke down over the weekend. The Govenor says his administration made a fair offer to the unions. John Wodele is the govenor's spokesman.
October 1, 2001 - Today we begin a series of reports examining the economic fallout in Minnesota from the terrorist attacks last month. Even before hijackers flew commercial aircraft into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, the weakening US economy had shed one million manufacturing jobs over 13 months. Minnesota officials are bracing for rising layoffs, but say it's too soon to gauge the attacks' full impact in the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has the first report in our series, Economy on the Edge.
October 1, 2001 - Northwest Airlines labor unions and the state's Democratic congressional leaders say they want an economic stimulus package to cover laid off workers in the airline and hospitality industries. Yesterday Helms reports.
October 1, 2001 - A strike of janitors, food inspectors, accountants, and highway workers began striking today. Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (Council 6) are fighting for their rights.
October 2, 2001 - Strike is taking place outside of the Department of Revenue building. 80-90% of union members are picketing. They are prepared for a month-long strike.
October 2, 2001 - The financially troubled Stockwalk Group appears to have staved off financial ruin. Clients of the MInneapolis based brokerage may regain access to their accounts as early as Wednesday morning. Customers were locked out of their accounts last week after Stockwalk fell short of funds. A Texas-based company has agreed to take over the accounts. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
October 2, 2001 - State workers began their second day of picketing this morning Helms reports.
October 2, 2001 - Technology business led the way in the long boom of the 1990s. But the long boom is now looking like a big bust. The dotcom collapse and the broader economic slowdown have taken their toll on the tech economy, and the September 11th terrorist attacks seems likely to make a bad situation worse. Economists say even though some Twin Cities firms might benefit from a war on terrorism, the area's tech sector will suffer if consumer and business confidence falls. Minnesota Public Radio's Jon Gordon has the second report in our series, "Economy on the Edge."