The United Auto Workers just honked for Joe Biden: Fresh off a historic strike victory, the influential labor union endorsed the president’s reelection campaign yesterday, possibly giving him a leg up in some battleground states.

UAW President Shawn Fain’s seal of approval comes as President Biden and former President Donald Trump—who has all but cemented the Republican nomination after winning in Iowa and New Hampshire—ramp up their general election campaigning and turn the schmooze dial up to 11 on undecided voters.

Battling for the blue-collar vote

Biden and Trump are both seeking to win over auto workers and labor groups, and the UAW is a big fish.

By the numbers: With 400,000+ active members and about 600,000 retired members, the union represents ~1 million voters, many of them living in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—states that will be key in deciding who wins the 2024 election.

Biden describes himself as the “most pro-union president ever.” He gained popularity among union members after joining a UAW picket line in September—a first for a sitting president. And about 60% of current and former UAW members tend to vote for Democratic presidential candidates, a former UAW spokesperson told the Washington Post.

But…a good chunk of rank-and-file members are likely planning to support Trump or not vote at all.

• Many worry that Biden’s electric vehicle transition will threaten job security. (The UAW has tried to prevent that and pushed the president to issue EV grants that prioritize companies offering high pay in unionized areas.)
• Other UAW members disapprove of Biden over his support of Israel in the Israel–Hamas war in Gaza.

Here’s what other workers’ groups say: The AFL-CIO—the biggest labor federation in the US—and a dozen other unions already endorsed Biden over the summer. The UAW held back to leverage its support for commitments to its interests, but the group also typically endorses later than other unions. Next week, Trump is set to meet with the Teamsters, which backed Biden in 2020, to vie for the influential union’s backing.—ML

Is 2024 the year for small-business success? Based on results from a recent survey, 71% of retail respondents feel optimistic…but 32% aren’t sure whether their business will survive through the end of the year.

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Tesla expects its 2024 growth to be “notably” slower. Tesla reported lower-than-expected revenue for the final quarter of last year, and the electric vehicle-maker predicted its sales growth this year will be as slow as a Cybertruck in the snow. But the company insisted it’s merely “between two major growth waves” as it gears up to produce a next-generation model. CEO Elon Musk said Tesla plans to roll out a mass-market EV in “late 2025,” but that the date was tentative and could change.

FAA won’t allow production increases for Boeing 737 Max planes. Yesterday, the Federal Aviation Administration put a stop to Boeing’s planned expansion of its 737 Max aircraft production, but it also cleared the runaway for the Max 9 model involved in the scary Alaska Airlines door plug blowout to take off again after airlines finish checking them. The jets have been grounded since the incident on Jan. 5, but they’ll soon be back in the skies. However, the agency said it would not agree to any production expansion “until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved.”

Billionaire Joe Lewis pleads guilty to insider trading. Lewis, an investor who owns the Tottenham Hotspur football club and looks like a Bond villain, copped to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of securities fraud. “I knew at the time what I was doing was wrong, and I am so embarrassed,” he told the judge. Prosecutors claim he tipped off girlfriends and staff, including his pilots, to nonpublic info about companies he had invested in. The 86-year-old, who was out on bail with a 322-foot yacht and private plane as collateral, faces up to 45 years in prison but is likely to be sentenced to less.

Law enforcement will have to go back to getting info the old-fashioned way: by sending Benson and Stabler to go talk to someone unloading a truck. Amazon-owned Ring said yesterday it will no longer let police easily request doorbell footage from users, so officers will have to get a warrant or subpoena instead.

Previously, The Neighbors app—which Ring users are automatically enrolled in when they buy the security camera—allowed officers to use a “Request for Assistance” tool to ask individuals to volunteer footage.

Civil liberties groups, journalists, and politicians have long questioned Ring’s claims that its cameras deter crime. And the company’s willingness to facilitate users’ handing over of private video footage has made the same groups raise their eyebrows, especially in light of reports that law enforcement has requested Ring videos to identify protesters.

Why now? Ring said it’s shifting its priorities to more positive uses for its Neighbors app, like…sharing fun videos. But it comes as tech companies are feeling the pressure of the public’s privacy concerns. Last month, Google revoked access to location data history, which police sought through requests, called geofence warrants, to track anyone near a crime scene.—MM

The same place where you sobbed over a burrito bowl is now using mental health benefits to entice Gen Z employees.

Yesterday, the California-based fast-casual chain announced new financial and mental health employee perks intended to beef up staffing as it heads into its busiest time of the year: burrito season. Between March and May, consumers are so hungry for carne asada that Chipotle wants to hire 19,000 new workers, up 27% from last year’s hiring target.

The chain plans to…

• Give employees six free sessions with a mental health professional.
• Match up to 4% of an employee’s salary through 401(k) contributions if they make student loan payments.
• Offer access to Cred.ai, a Visa credit card designed to help users build credit, and SoFi, a personal finance platform.

Zoom out: The restaurant industry has long had trouble hiring and keeping young workers. And Chipotle is contending with higher labor costs: It increased prices in California last year after the state raised the minimum wage from $15.50 to $20 per hour.—CC

Stat: The opening of a new liquor store doesn’t usually make international news, but when the store is in Saudi Arabia, which banned booze in 1952, it gets headlines. The conservative Muslim kingdom reportedly allowed its first alcohol shop recently, though the government has not officially confirmed it, per CNBC. But you can’t just rock up to the checkout with a fake ID that says McLovin: In addition to being 21+, only non-Muslim diplomats with prior authorization from an app can shop there. Plus, taking photos is verboten and phones must be stored in special secure pouches to ensure they’re not used.

Quote: “The US Embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way—by microwaving it.”

As a newsletter named after your daily cup of joe, we take no sides in the transatlantic kerfuffle that erupted yesterday after the Royal Society of Chemistry published a US chemistry professor’s guidance that a pinch of salt helps brew the perfect cup of tea. Brits got so steamed up shouting on social media about the audacious American advice that even London’s US Embassy got involved, assuring UK citizens that “the unthinkable notion of adding salt to Britain’s national drink is not official United States policy.”

Read: Where do billionaires come from? Mom and Dad. (Vox)

Plan a trip (or a move): A ranking of the world’s best cities.

To tell you the truth: How to spot a liar.

It’s not just under the bridge: A map of the places mentioned in Red Hot Chili Peppers songs.

Watch: The ultimate guide to making pizza at home.

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