Rotary Club Hosts School Choice Advocate, Meta Inks $27B AI Deal, Meatpacking Workers Strike

Roundup of business news including education, tech, and labor developments

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:48pm

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This business news roundup covers several notable stories: Caroline Roemer, executive director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, will speak at the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge about school choice; Meta plans to spend up to $27 billion over five years on artificial intelligence infrastructure from Nebius Group; and about 3,800 union workers at a JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado have walked off the job after contract negotiations over wages and working conditions stalled.

Why it matters

These stories touch on key issues in education, technology, and labor relations that are shaping the business landscape. The Rotary Club talk highlights the ongoing debate over school choice policies, Meta's AI investment signals the tech industry's race to develop next-generation AI systems, and the meatpacking strike reflects tensions over worker pay and conditions in a major industry.

The details

Caroline Roemer, who has led the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools since 2007, will speak to the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge about school choice policies in the state. Meta's $27 billion deal with Nebius Group is one of the company's largest contracts as it seeks to build data center capacity and scale its AI development. Meanwhile, about 3,800 union workers at a JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado have gone on strike after contract negotiations stalled over wages and working conditions, marking the industry's first major strike in over 40 years.

  • Caroline Roemer will speak at the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge's weekly luncheon this Wednesday, March 20, 2026.
  • Meta's $27 billion AI infrastructure deal with Nebius Group was announced on March 15, 2026.
  • The JBS meatpacking plant strike in Greeley, Colorado began on March 14, 2026.

The players

Caroline Roemer

Executive director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, an advocacy organization she has led since 2007. Roemer has decades of experience in public policy, communications, and education reform.

Meta

The parent company of social media platform Facebook, which is investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure and development.

Nebius Group

A technology company that is providing Meta with up to $27 billion in AI infrastructure over the next five years.

JBS

One of the largest beef processors in the United States, whose meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado is facing a strike by about 3,800 union workers.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

These stories highlight the ongoing debates and tensions in key sectors of the economy, from education policy to technology investment to labor relations. They underscore the evolving business landscape and the need for companies and workers to adapt to changing market dynamics and social priorities.