Labor & Employment

San Francisco — Gap Inc. is bringing several of its divisions under the leadership of one executive in order to fuel long-term growth.

With the start of the 2013 fiscal year, the company will bring together its North American, international, online, outlet and franchise divisions under a single global executive for each of its Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy brands. In addition, the company will form a new Innovation and Digital Strategy team to further its leadership position in this area.

Secaucus, N.J. — The Children's Place Retail Stores has named Tricia Griffith to the company's board of directors.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. has appointed Phil Jones, formerly president of its west coast region, to lead its retail channel for independent garden centers and hardware co-op stores as SVP independent channel.

MONTREAL — Canadian dollar-store chain, Dollarama, has named Richard Roy as an independent director of the corporation. Roy will fill the vacancy created among the board of directors by the resignation of Matthew Levin.

Roy will also sit on the audit committee of the corporation, and Huw Thomas, independent director of Dollarama, will replace Levin on the human resources and compensation committee while remaining a member of the audit committee and the nominating and governance committee of the corporation.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General has named Pat Fili-Krushel to its board of directors effective Oct. 15.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is introducing a first-of-its-kind Centers of Excellence program that will offer its associates quality health care with no out-of-pocket cost for heart, spine and transplant surgeries at six of the leading hospital and health systems in the United States. 

Organized labor was crowing this week about a protest, or was it a strike, involving 88 Walmart employees at 28 stores in 12 states who didn’t show up for work on Tuesday.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway Inc. posted a lower profit from continuing operations for the third quarter on Thursday, but its net profit rose to $157 million from $130.2 last year, helped by the sale of some of its Genuardi's stores. The company reported income from continuing operations of $108.0 million for the quarter ended Sept. 8, compared with $130.3 million in third quarter 2011.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart is expanding its Centers of Excellence program to offer its associates health care with no out-of-pocket cost for heart, spine, and transplant surgeries at six of the nation’s leading hospital and health systems.  

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Walmart Canada is stepping up its presence in the country this month with the opening of the most stores in the company's history.

By the end of October, the company will complete 30 real estate projects. They include two supercenter conversions and 28 new stores, which were formerly Zellers stores. Of the 28 Zellers locations, 10 will be supercentres and 18 will be discount stores. The 30 stores employ more than 3,000 associates and represent an addition of nearly 2.4 million square feet of retail space.