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Greens Stun Labour in Historic Gorton & Denton Upset

  The Green Party's Hannah Spencer joyous after the results of the Gorton and Denton by-election were announced Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been dealt a significant political setback after the Green Party captured Gorton and Denton, a Greater Manchester seat Labour had held for nearly a century. The by‑election result pushed Labour into third place, behind both the Greens and Reform UK, highlighting growing fractures in Britain’s traditional two‑party landscape. Green candidate Hannah Spencer secured the victory with a commanding share of the vote, marking the party’s first parliamentary by‑election win in northern England. Reform UK finished second, while Labour’s unusually weak performance intensified pressure on Starmer amid ongoing political turbulence and calls for stronger leadership.  The loss of such a long‑standing Labour stronghold underscores shifting voter sentiment and raises questions about the party’s ability to maintain its traditional base. Analysts have...

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Walmart Opposes Adding Panic Buttons to Stores

 

Retail giant Walmart has taken a firm stance against implementing panic buttons in its stores. The New York State Senate recently passed legislation requiring major retail chains, including Walmart, to install panic buttons in easily accessible locations or provide wearable/mobile-phone-activated panic buttons for staff. However, Walmart’s top corporate affairs officer, Dan Bartlett, expressed concerns about false alarms triggered by panic buttons. He emphasized that most incidents turn out to be non-emergencies.

Walmart operates 4,700 stores nationwide, including 98 in New York state. The legislation now awaits New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision. If she takes no action within 10 days, the Retail Worker Safety Act will automatically become state law. The bill also mandates violence prevention and safety training for retailers with 10 or more employees.

While Walmart’s workforce is not unionized, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) has advocated for the bill to become law in New York. At Walmart’s recent annual meeting, some employee shareholders proposed an independent review of workplace safety policies, but the proposal was defeated.

In summary, Walmart’s opposition to panic buttons reflects concerns about practicality and false alarms, even as the debate continues over ensuring safety for retail workers.


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