Personnel

Zara Workers in US Unionize for First Time
August 2, 2016 at 11:16 am

Store workers at Zara, the flagship brand of Inditex, the world’s largest fashion retailer, have voted to form a union in New York City. The Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) will represent the more than 1,000 Zara employees, who greet customers, stock shelves, run fitting rooms and handle sales at the brand’s Manhattan-based stores.…

Starbucks Adds Healthcare Options for Workers
July 19, 2016 at 9:52 am

Starbucks announced sweeping changes to its benefits program Monday that will allow U.S. employees to choose from up to six different medical insurance providers instead of one. The company estimates the new options could save individual employees up to $800 a year by being able to choose a more customized plan. Employees who work 20 hours a…

Starbucks to Raise Wages for U.S. Workers
July 13, 2016 at 11:24 am

Starbucks announced it will raise the wages of all workers in its U.S. stores this October. The announcement comes after complaints from Starbucks’ employees about "extreme" cutbacks of work hours in its U.S. cafes. In addition to the wage increase, Starbucks will also double the annual stock reward to hourly employees who have worked in…

Christopher Bailey Out as CEO at Burberry
July 11, 2016 at 1:42 pm

Burberry replaced Christopher Bailey as its CEO on Monday, ending the project of having him both lead the fashion house and serve as its chief creative officer. The luxury goods maker named Marco Gobbetti, CEO of French luxury brand Celine, as its new chief executive. He will take over in 2017. Bailey will stay on as chief…

Birchbox Cuts More Employees
June 29, 2016 at 10:50 am

Subscription beauty service Birchbox has let go an additional 30 employees, this coming five months after the startup cut 15 percent of its staff. Birchbox Founder and CEO Katia Beauchamp announced in a blog post on Tuesday that the original cuts (50 of 300 employees) were too conservative. This week's layoffs are part of a…

NRF: Overtime Expansion Will Lead to Demotions
June 27, 2016 at 11:55 am

The National Retail Federation (NRF) told the House Small Business Committee last week that new federal overtime regulations will lead to hiring freezes and layoffs for full-time workers if enacted as planned Dec. 1. The NRF urged committee members to support the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act, which would pause implementation of the new regulations and require…

The Argument Against a $15 Minimum Wage
June 21, 2016 at 1:05 pm

There’s been much debate across the nation in recent months over increasing the minimum wage to $15. Perhaps no other industry would be more affected by such legislation than retail. In particular, Wal-Mart has often been used by proponents of the legislation as the poster child for a higher wage floor. But is that fair?…

In the News: Bed Bath & Beyond Buys One Kings Lane
June 15, 2016 at 12:08 pm

Find out what major retailers took the pledge to close the gender wage gap; which e-tailer Bed Bath & Beyond just acquired; how Office Depot and Staples are stepping up their back-to-school fight; and how Facebook is entering the brick-and-mortar space.