✈️AA attendants can't strike; GM bets $10B on itself; Opal wins $200k

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📣NEWS OF THE DAY:

Federal mediators rejected a union’s request that could have cleared the way for a year-end strike by flight attendants at American Airlines. The National Mediation Board directed the airline and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants to keep negotiating over a new contract.

GM on a roll: The company announced a $10 billion accelerated share repurchase program and intention to increase its common stock dividend by 33% beginning with the January 2024 declaration.

Textron is cutting 725 jobs at three divisions, including helicopter maker Bell, as part of a restructuring aimed at cutting costs. The company disclosed the cuts in a regulatory filing, saying jobs will disappear at Bell, Textron Systems, which sells aviation services, and Textron Industrial, a manufacturer of ground vehicles.

Alexandra Davis, 26, the woman who has claimed Jerry Jones is her biological father, refiled a defamation lawsuit alleging the Dallas Cowboys owner and his team of lawyers, media and marketing professionals concocted a plan to destroy her reputation by publicly attacking her as a “shake-down artist” motivated by greed and money. Davis originally sued Jones in March 2022 seeking recognition as his biological daughter. In March of this year, she filed a defamation suit. A judge dismissed that case but told her attorneys they could re-file. 

The first production F-35 in an early version of the Tech Refresh 3 configuration has flown at Lockheed's Fort Worth facilities. But while TR-3 testing continues, international F-35 partners are considering whether to accept jets with an immature version of the upgrade, government officials said. Additionally, negotiations between Lockheed and the Joint Program Office on a contract for F-35 production lots 17-19 are ongoing—but talks have broken down on a long-term Performance-Based Logistics contract. A shorter-term deal is being worked out.

To encourage research, development, and innovation in semiconductor manufacturing, the Commerce Department’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office introduced a Semiconductor Technology Pilot Program. It is designed to accelerate the examination of patent applications. Qualifying non-provisional utility patent applications—directed to certain processes and apparatuses for manufacturing semiconductor devices—” will be accorded special status” until a first action.

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Fort Worth-based Elbit Systems of America an indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity contract with a maximum ceiling of $500 million for the supply of Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle systems; spare and repair parts; contractor logistics support and test article refurbishment.

Fort Worth's Opal Lee is one of six Bank of America national honorees of its Neighborhood Builders Social Equality Award (NBSE), which recognizes individuals who serve as catalysts in advancing social equality and economic opportunity. Each awardee can direct a $200,000 grant to a nonprofit of their choice; the selected organizations can participate in BofA's year-long Neighborhood Builders Leadership Program, which provides strategic growth and development training to set long-term success.

Tarrant County College Connect is one of 19 universities and colleges selected by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to participate in launching the Institute on Digital Equity. The 19 will spend seven months developing and implementing the institute's initiatives to promote digital equity on campus and throughout Texas. They will define goals and identify strategies backed by evidence and determine partners that can help bring these endeavors to fruition.

Insurance firm Higginbotham has formed an alliance with Cleburne-based Marshall Young Insurance, increasing Higginbotham’s North Texas presence.

Coke or Pepsi? This new index uses five metrics to rank the top 100 U.S. employers to work for. Coca-Cola topped the list with Costco, Meta, Capital One and Bank of America also making the top 10.

People on the move:

• Lockheed Martin: Promotes Alyssa Campbell to Sustainment Communications Manager

• Camp Fire First Texas: Names Brian Miller (previously Interim) President & CEO

Snippets:

• Shoppers are worried about the economy, so they're 'doom spending' to make themselves feel better.

• Some relief for homebuyers - mortgage rates dropped for the fifth straight week.

• The 25 best tech gifts of 2023. (WSJ gift article)

• Sage advice: Warren Buffett shared timeless investment wisdom in his first national TV interview nearly 40 years ago. Here are 9 classic quotes.

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