Supply Chain

The North American Bangladesh Worker Safety Working Group, a collaboration of five U.S. and Canadian apparel and retail trade associations, today reinforced its commitment to improving worker safety in Bangladesh and outlined a broad set of proposals to further that goal.

Import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 3.3 percent in May over the same month last year but growth could trickle to a standstill by the end of the summer, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by NRF and Hackett Associates.

The NRF Foundation, the careers and education division of the National Retail Federation, today announced the launch of its new Retail Insight Center, a website designed to serve as a resource for researching industry, government, economic and consumer trends within the retail industry.

The National Retail Federation will announce today a new initiative to broaden and enhance perceptions of the industry beyond providing consumers with great products. NRF’s This is Retail: Careers, Community, Innovation campaign, will highlight the industry’s opportunities for life-long careers, how retailers strengthen communities at home and abroad, and the critical role that retail plays in driving innovation.

The National Retail Federation issued the following statement today from Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold on the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) vote approving a new, long-term master labor contract covering port terminal operations along the East and Gulf Coast ports:

With Customs officials saying they hope to minimize the impact of federal spending cuts on cargo processing, import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 2.7 percent in April over the same month last year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by NRF and Hackett Associates.

A change in federal tax law that decreased the take-home pay of many working Americans is impacting household budgets. According to NRF’s 2013 Tax Returns Survey conducted by BIGinsight, nearly three-quarters (73.3%) of those polled say their spending plans are taking a hit.

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold on the ratification of a contract between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63 Office Clerical Unit (OCU) and the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Employers Association (HEA):

With a tentative contract deal reached with East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers but a key West Coast agreement unsettled, import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 8.5 percent in February over the same month last year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by NRF and Hackett Associates.

NRF urged labor and management at the Ports of LA and Long Beach to work through their differences without any disruption after rejection of a tentative contract by union members.

The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, today issued a statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay on the tentative contract agreement between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which covers dockworkers along 14 East and Gulf Coast container ports:

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 2.3 percent in January over the same month last year as retailers continue to urge labor and management to avoid a strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast docks, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by NRF and Hackett Associates.

Bringing together the world’s leading retailers and their business partners, Retail’s BIG Show is set to commence next week, offering a speaker lineup never seen before. The four-day convention, held January 13-16, 2013 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, will feature topics ranging from digital and mobile retailing to corporate and social responsibility to economic and consumer trends in the new year.

National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay issued the following statement on news that the International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance agreed to extend their contract negotiations for an additional 30 days:

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold on the breakdown of contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Exchange:

The National Retail Federation today sent a letter to President Obama to express the retail industry’s growing concern if a contract agreement isn’t reached between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. The two sides have been in negotiations, with the assistance of federal mediators, for the past few months with little demonstrable progress. The concern for a coast-wide strike is ever increasing.

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 3.9 percent in December despite a strike that closed the nation’s largest port complex for the first few days of the month, but retailers are keeping a close watch on a possible strike on the East Coast and Gulf Coast, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by NRF and Hackett Associates.

The National Retail Federation today issued a letter to the International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd., urging both sides to reach an immediate contract agreement before the December 29 deadline to ensure a secure and dependable supply chain along the East and Gulf Coast ports. The ILA and USMX have been locked in negotiations, assisted by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, since their contract expired on September 30. Another round of contract negotiations is set for next week.

The National Retail Federation and a diverse coalition of manufacturers, farmers, wholesalers, retailers and transportation organizations today sent a letter to President Obama to express their mutual concern about the ongoing labor disruption at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Striking clerical workers have been picketing many of the port terminals for the past week, effectively shutting down major portions of the ports.