Labor & Employment

Atlanta – Specialty furniture retailer Aaron’s Inc. is making some changes to its management structure. Steven A. Michaels, VP finance, is being promoted to VP strategic planning and business development.

In addition, Robert W. Kamerschen, senior VP and general counsel, will add corporate secretary to his responsibilities, while Kimberly R. Rivera joins Aaron's as the VP of learning and development.

The newest tactic to disparage Walmart by an organization called the Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart) involves race, politics and a convoluted connection to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Eight-year Walmart employee and OUR Walmart member Charmaine Givens-Thomas has posted a petition on the organization’s website invoking the name of the slain civil rights leader. She is seeking 100,000 signatures and a meeting with president Barack Obama to address the injustices to which she contends Walmart subjects its workers.

Seattle – Starbucks says it will develop a comprehensive hiring platform for veterans and active duty spouses in response to record growth and in anticipation of a 500,000-person future global workforce. This multi-year hiring and career development strategy will focus on establishing an internal infrastructure dedicated to matching the transferable skill sets of veterans and military spouses with the specific talent needed across the Starbucks enterprise.

Washington, D.C. - A broad-based group of organizations including large and small employers, pharmacy benefit managers, providers, health benefits advisers and health plans from across the country have launched the Affordable Health Benefits Coalition (AHBC). The Coalition’s main priority is advancing policy ideas that it says will help people obtain more affordable health coverage.

Nike has promoted Scott LeClair, currently the brand’s VP and GM of Nike Skate and Nike Snow, to the position of VP of action sports. He will be responsible for leading the category as well as for Hurley International.

He replaces Nike veteran Roger Wyett, who has decided to retire according to the company.

New York -- Winick Realty Group has welcomed the broker team of Alison Cohen and Susan Preisler to its New Jersey branch, in Cranford. Cohen and Preisler have been partners for more than a decade, starting up a retail division at Hirschman Realty before moving to Vanguard Realty.

As a team, they specialize in leasing regional shopping centers, a specialty they plan to continue as part of Winick, working with both landlords and tenants.

Boise, Idaho — WinCo Foods has announced that it will open two new discount supermarkets on November 7. The stores are located in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho and in Norco, Calif. and span 75,000 sq. ft. and 65,000 sq. ft. respectively.

New York -- Office Depot and OfficeMax announced the completion of their merger late Tuesday and from the looks of third quarter results released the same day the deal should prove beneficial to both companies.

Office Depot said its third quarter same store sales declined 2%, while OfficeMax said its comps dropped 2.8% in the U.S. and 2.2% in Mexico.

The combined company will use the name Office Depot, Inc. and will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP.