Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

As the Pacific Maritime Association prepares to shut down U.S. West Coast ports from Feb. 13-16, the National Retail Federation (NRF) is issuing a public statement asking for direct White House intervention.

New York -- Shipping operations will be suspended at U.S. West Coast ports over the coming long weekend, the Pacific Maritime Association announced Wednesday. The planned shut down comes amid  stalled labor talks between the companies and the union representing 20,000 dockworkers.

Washington, D.C. – President Obama is not pleased with how Staples and other large U.S. companies are handling employee health benefits. In an interview with BuzzFeed, Obama said that Staples and other corporations should not use the Affordable Care Act as an excuse to reduce employee hours or wages.

Mississauga, Canada – Landlords holding the leases of Target Canada stores reportedly are requesting that Ontario Superior Court put Target Canada into full bankruptcy. According to the Toronto Globe & Mail, the move would remove control of liquidation of the company’s assets from Target and put it in the hands of a third-party trustee.

By Jonathan Barsade, CEO of Exactor

San Francisco – Port management temporarily halted vessel loading and unloading operations at West Coast ports the weekend of Feb. 7-8. In a statement, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), representing port management, said it did not want to offer port workers premium pay for diminished productivity in light of continued work slowdowns caused by disagreements with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) over issues such as pay, pensions and contract arbitration.

Food retailers adjusting to the new realities of a changing regulatory landscape have gained a new ally at the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

The trade group has named Jennifer Cleveland McEntire as vice president of science operations.

It's official: The long-struggling RadioShack has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The 94-year-old retailer made its filing in  U.S.

Arlington, Va. -- A breakdown in contract negotiations between labor and management at America’s west coast ports is threatening to turn a work slowdown into a full-scale strike, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) warned.

Framingham, Mass. – The office supply retail vertical may be in for more consolidation. According to the Wall Street Journal, Staples Inc. and Office Depot Inc. are in the “advanced stages” of negotiations to combine the two biggest U.S. office supply chains.