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Amazon says USPS exited talks at ‘eleventh hour’ while a financial cliff looms for the delivery agency

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The way millions of Amazon packages move across the country could shift dramatically.

Amazon said on Wednesday in a statement that a key partnership with the United States Postal Service unraveled late last year after months of negotiations.

The e-commerce giant said that its goal was to expand the volume of packages it routes through the federal carrier. However, it said that after spending more than a year working toward a renewed long-term agreement with USPS, talks suddenly collapsed in December, with the agency exiting discussions at the “eleventh hour.”

The Wall Street Journal first reported on Wednesday that Amazon is preparing to significantly scale back its reliance on USPS when the current contract expires later this year. The company has historically been the USPS’s largest shipping partner, handling billions of deliveries annually.

Amazon said in its statement that it remains open to continuing the relationship with USPS and is seeking further discussions with leadership, but warned that time is running low for a deal.

The strained negotiations come as the USPS faces a financial cliff. Postmaster General David Steiner told lawmakers on Tuesday in a written statement that the agency could run out of cash within a year if current conditions persist. In a testimony before Congress on Tuesday, he described the organization as being at a “critical juncture,” with limited options to stabilize its finances.

Under federal law, USPS operates as a self-funded entity, relying on postage and service fees rather than taxpayer dollars. That model has come under strain for years as traditional mail volumes decline and costs continue to rise.

Since the mid-2000s, the agency has posted losses in nearly every fiscal year. It ended 2025 with a multibillion-dollar deficit and has continued to report quarterly losses driven by rising labor, healthcare, and operational expenses.

As of 2026, USPS has hit its statutory borrowing limit and can no longer take on additional debt. In 2025, President Donald Trump floated a plan to privatize USPS, but there have been no follow-ups.

In recent years, Amazon has been shifting its logistics strategy by building a vast delivery network of its own instead of relying on third parties, including acquiring its own fleets of trucks, planes, and regional air hubs.

Even so, USPS has remained an important partner for Amazon, particularly for last-mile delivery. Steiner told Reuters in December that Amazon used USPS 1.7 billion times a year for packages.

USPS did not immediately respond to a request for comments.




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Starbucks union lowers proposed wage floor to $17 in bid to restart contract talks

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After more than a year at a standstill, Starbucks’ union contract talks are percolating once more.

Starbucks Workers United, the coffee giant’s union, has lowered its proposed starting wage to $17 an hour, down from the $20 minimum it previously demanded. The company has also proposed that in-person bargaining resume on March 30, in what would be the first contract negotiation session since talks stalled in December 2024.

The union’s revised economic proposal, which was provided to Starbucks management 30 days ago, was made public by the union after SBUW baristas on Friday joined a call with a group of shareholders advocating for workers’ rights, urging management to finalize a contract.

The move marks one of the clearest signs yet that the union is willing to shift its position to break the impasse. Starbucks management has declined to comment on its counter-proposals.

“Baristas recently met, deliberated, and found consensus around fair and reasonable measures to support baristas,” Jasmine Leli, a three-year Starbucks barista and bargaining delegate, said in a statement. She added that workers are “in conversation with the company about the road back to the bargaining table,” and that those discussions are ongoing.

Starbucks management has consistently pushed back on the union’s characterization of events, saying it respects workers’ right to organize and wants to reach a contract, and disputing allegations of widespread union busting.

“At Starbucks, we are committed to all our partners, and where they have chosen union representation, we have been engaging in good faith bargaining,” Jaci Anderson, a spokesperson for Starbucks, told Business Insider, adding that Starbucks was “disappointed” when SBUW “walked away from negotiations” in December 2024.

“Progress occurs in collective bargaining when both sides get into the same room,” Anderson said.

Starbucks management will remain available for “continued negotiations throughout April,” Anderson added.

As Business Insider previously reported, the company has said that it already offers industry-leading pay and benefits, and has said it’s prepared to move quickly toward a “reasonable” and “fair” agreement.

Negotiations have dragged on for months, with both sides accusing the other of failing to bargain in good faith. The stalemate has increasingly drawn scrutiny from politicians, including now-New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders, as well as investors concerned about reputational and operational risks.

By trimming its wage-floor demand by nearly $3, the union is hoping to signal flexibility and put pressure on executives to match that move as scrutiny from shareholders intensifies.

Under the updated framework, unionized baristas would push for a $17 an hour starting wage, 4% annual raises — down from 5% — and a slate of workplace protections, including “just cause” standards for discipline, antidiscrimination language, enforceable health and safety measures, and guarantees of at least three workers on the floor at all times.

Starting pay in many states ranges from $15.25 to $16 an hour. The union says that raising the floor would lift wages for the lowest-paid workers without creating wage compression at organized stores.

SBWU, which first unionized in Buffalo in 2021, represents about 650 stores, or roughly 4% of Starbucks’ in-store staff in the US.

The union’s broader demands also include offering existing employees additional hours before hiring new staff, formal grievance procedures, protections during store closures, and resolution of outstanding unfair labor practice charges — including alleged backpay tied to firings and withheld raises.

The union’s demand lands at a delicate moment for Starbucks.

As Business Insider previously reported, an investor group has been preparing for a potential board fight, centered in part on the company’s labor relations, as the company continues to navigate its turnaround effort.

Anderson told Business Insider the Starbucks board “has the necessary skills and experience to effectively oversee our strategy, including human capital management, which is vital to our ability to drive growth and deliver for our customers.”

Tensions have also flared on the shop floor: union baristas in November launched their fourth strike since 2023 amid mounting frustration, drawing fresh investor attention to the protracted negotiations.

Most unionized baristas are now back to work, but “work stoppages continue at stores on a rotating basis,” a spokesperson for the union said.

Starbucks executives, including CEO Brian Niccol, have publicly said they want to reach a deal. Union leaders said the path forward is clear.

“It’s time to get a fair contract done so we can all move forward,” Leli said in the statement. “We believe that’s not only possible, but within reach as long as executives are committed to good-faith bargaining.”




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Trump demands Netflix fire Susan Rice from board amid deal talks

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  • Donald Trump has chimed in on the Netflix deal negotiations, despite previously saying he wouldn’t.
  • In a Saturday Truth Social post, the president said Netflix should fire Susan Rice from its board.
  • Rice on Thursday predicted an “accountability agenda” for corporations that “take a knee” to Trump.

President Donald Trump is calling on Netflix to remove former US Ambassador and national security advisor Susan Rice from its board, sharpening his criticism of the streaming giant as it seeks to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery amid antitrust scrutiny.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump demanded that Netflix “immediately terminate” Rice from its board of directors, “or pay the consequences,” amplifying a message from right-wing activist Laura Loomer. Loomer had urged action against Rice, criticizing her role at the company and pointing to recent remarks she made about Trump and corporate America.

Rice, who served in senior roles in the Obama and Biden administrations, recently warned companies against aligning themselves too closely with Trump. Speaking on Thursday on the “Stay Tuned with Preet Bharara” podcast, she said corporations that “take a knee” to the president and break the law should expect consequences, predicting an “accountability agenda” if Democrats take back power.

The clash comes as the streaming giant pursues a high-stakes merger that will require approval from the Department of Justice’s antitrust division.

Trump in December said that Netflix had a “very big market share,” so its potential acquisition of Warner Bros. “could be a problem.”

However, in February, he said he “shouldn’t be involved” in the deal and would defer to his Department of Justice to investigate the proposed merger, Business Insider previously reported.

Earlier this week, during an appearance on Puck’s “The Town” podcast, Netflix’s co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, said that Trump hadn’t asked for political concessions during discussions of the possible deal, but was focused on bringing jobs back to Hollywood after years of lower production.

Representatives for Netflix and Rice did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.




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I have the best talks with my preteen son when I drive him to school in the morning. I hope he knows I’m always here for him.

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When my son was still under 5, I worked at the local library. In my free time, my son was basically my best buddy. My supervisor at the time had teenagers, so she was in a different parenting stage than I was.

I remember her saying that the secret to keeping her kids close was to drive them around as much as possible. This kept her kids talking to her and enabled her to maintain close relationships with them.

She was so right with her advice.

My son is now a tween

My son just turned 12, and the shift from boy to teenager seems to have happened overnight. He is becoming more independent and less talkative — with me, but not his social circle.

I know it’s the natural order of things for him to spread his wings and to push back a bit against me. But sometimes I just really miss my best buddy and all the fun we had spending time together when he was little. Now, when he’s home from school, he’s often in his room talking on the phone with his friends or playing games online with them.

I think my former boss’s wisdom stuck with me, because the idea of my son growing up and not wanting to talk to me scared me. I’ve come to realize that driving my son around whenever I get the chance is basically priceless. Right now, drives with him are primarily to and from school, but during football or basketball seasons, all of the practices and games really add up. This year, sixth grade has really felt like a turning point, because I’ve noticed an increase in invites to parties, hangouts, and sleepovers.

I realize that as he gets older, these social outings will only increase. And then one day, when he’s closer to age 16, he’ll likely have a part-time job to add to his schedule. As long as he doesn’t have a car, I know I’ll be his main source of transportation. Instead of dreading, I know these are actually the hidden opportunities, like diamonds in the rough, to remain connected to him as he grows up.

It’s best to allow our conversations to flow naturally

I never try to force a topic on him, because I have found that it’s not the best timing for discipline-based or serious talks. I’m sure he feels trapped, so he shuts down, and it ruins the safe space I’m trying to develop out of our car rides. Allowing the conversation to flow organically is when he’ll surprise me and ask me something random or open up about something that’s been bothering him.

Even if he doesn’t open up every time, I know I’m giving him the space to do so. Often, after a few minutes of being stuck in the car together, one of us will start talking about something. I think having the music on and sightseeing on our way everywhere gives our brains distractions and talking points. It feels like the car is sometimes the white flag zone, where we stop arguing and start talking again.

While he’s mostly reserved, there are other times when he’s more open and chatty, and I just let him vent and do my best to listen. It’s likely therapeutic to have someone who will just listen to him at his age, but it might also be easier for him to open up to me side-by-side instead of face-to-face. Knowing there’s an endpoint, such as knowing we’ll be at his school in five minutes, likely helps too.

I hope I’m also sending him the message that I won’t stop showing up

Willingly taking him everywhere he needs to go daily, I think, is communicating to him that I’m not going to stop showing up for him. That no matter how tense things may be at times between us, I’m going to continue to be there for all of it.

I think it reassures him that I’m not going to give up on my job as his mom, even when things get tough. I’ll be sitting there in silence if that’s what he needs, but the message I hope to send him is: I’m still here.




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Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni stayed in separate rooms for Day 1 of settlement talks

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The real-life Hollywood drama of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni played out behind closed doors in a New York City courthouse on Wednesday — and will continue for a second day on Thursday.

After a day of negotiations, the actors and their legal teams left a Manhattan federal court without a settlement in their high-profile legal battle, which began in 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni over their collaboration on the film “It Ends With Us.”

The two sides spent six hours in separate but adjacent courtrooms, sealed to the press and public, as their lawyers hashed out a possible deal with a magistrate judge.

Baldoni and his wife, Emily Baldoni, appeared in high spirits as they left their courtroom, hand in hand and chatting amiably.

Lively attended without her Deadpool star husband, Ryan Reynolds. She and her attorneys wore grim faces as they left their own courtroom.


Blake Lively emerges from a black car in Manhattan

Actor Blake Lively arrives at Manhattan federal court for a settlement conference.

Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS



“Yes, we are back tomorrow,” one of Lively’s attorneys told Business Insider.

It was the first time the actors had faced off in court since their legal battle erupted into public view.

The conflict, which generated months of wall-to-wall news coverage, began during the filming of “It Ends With Us,” a film directed by Baldoni and starring Lively that was released in August 2024. The “Gossip Girl” actress sued the director in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign she said was orchestrated by Bladoni.

Baldoni counter-sued in 2025, claiming extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. His lawsuit has since been dismissed.

Wednesday’s conference is part of a last-ditch effort by US Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave to put the case to bed ahead of the May 18 trial.

A settlement would close the book on a series of pending legal headaches for the judge, including whether to trim the scope of Lively’s lawsuit or sanction Baldoni based on Lively’s claim that his side hid documents.


Justin Bladoni stands in the cold with his wife Emily.

Justin Baldoni arrives at Manhattan federal court with his wife, Emily, for a settlement conference.

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Court documents just revealed how Taylor Swift really talks to her friends

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Picture this: You’ve just received a text from Taylor Swift.

It’s easy to imagine her missives resembling her famously personal song lyrics. Something honest and vulnerable, like, “I just wanted you to know that this is me trying,” or tender, like, “I don’t wanna miss you like this. Come back, be here,” or even sassy, like, “Good thing I like my friends canceled.”

Well, thanks to a slew of newly unsealed court documents, we now have evidence that’s not far from the truth.

“I think I’m just exhausted in every avenue of my life,” Swift seemingly wrote to her friend Blake Lively in December 2024. “You don’t need to apologize. Just come back please.” Earlier that year, Swift apparently praised her longtime friend’s tenacity: “No one. Should ever. Get into a war of wills with you.”

Several text messages between Swift and Lively were recently made public amid Lively’s legal battle with Justin Baldoni, her director and costar on the hit 2024 movie “It Ends with Us.” These particular texts presumably became relevant to the lawsuit because Baldoni’s name was mentioned (or alluded to, as when Lively wrote to Swift about “this doofus director of my movie”). In some cases, they speak to Lively’s state of mind while the two actors were filming “It Ends With Us,” and amid the breakdown of Lively and Baldoni’s working relationship.

Despite these nuggets of insight, however, some of the most interesting details of Lively’s conversations with Swift are the ones that offer a unique glimpse into Swift’s writerly craft.

Swift is already renowned for her lyricism. The same week these texts were unsealed, she became the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame — in her very first year of eligibility, no less. But these texts reveal a less polished, less reputation-conscious version of Swift’s communication style.


Blake Lively and Taylor Swift hold hands while walking in New York City

Blake Lively and Taylor Swift seen together in New York City in 2023.

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According to these court documents, Lively texted Swift on December 4, 2024, shortly before the end of the Eras Tour, to temperature-check their friendship. Lively and Swift have been close friends for years (Swift is the godmother to Lively’s children), but the actor felt that something in their dynamic had shifted.

“Hey, just checking in,” Lively wrote to Swift. “I have no reason to ask, but I donno, l’ve been feeling like I should… is everything OK?”

Lively went on to say she felt like a “bad friend lately,” that she didn’t want to come across as “needy and awkward,” but her gut (and her husband, Ryan Reynolds) told her to reach out anyway. “I always want the opportunity to be a better friend if there’s something I unintentionally did,” she wrote.

If you’ve ever gone through a rough patch with a loved one, then this brand of ambient, unsettled anxiety will surely feel familiar. It’s really hard to communicate complex emotions, especially when an important relationship is at stake, and the conversation isn’t face-to-face.

Luckily, written communication of complex emotions is exactly Swift’s forte.

“I feel really bad saying anything about this because your texts have been so nice in their intent but your last few… it’s felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees,” Swift replied in part. “You said the word ‘we’ like 18 times. And it feels awful to be in any way critical of any way you process what you’ve been going through but I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself, not like. A plural unit.”

She added: “I know you feel attacked from all sides for ridiculous reasons so you’re feeling like you have to overly explain things or be overly nice or whatever but. It’s me! That’s just caused a little distance.”

Swift’s response is exactly what I’d hope to receive from a friend in that position: open-hearted and generous, yet firm and forthright. She doesn’t treat Lively with kid gloves, nor does she pile on. Instead, she validates her friend’s anxiety, clarifies her own perspective, and reinforces their bond.

Over the past two decades, Swift has built an empire by making fans feel like her friends, writing songs that sound like heart-to-hearts. It’s oddly comforting to know that Swift writes to her actual friends with the same attention to detail.




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