What in the World Is Causing the Retail Meltdown of 2017?

– The Atlantic 

In the middle of an economic recovery, hundreds of shops and malls are shuttering. There have been nine retail bankruptcies in 2017 – as many as all of 2016. The reasons why go far beyond Amazon. Here are three explanations for the recent demise of America’s storefronts.

 

Retail Payrolls Sustain a New Blow as Shopping Habits Shift

– The New York Times 

General merchandise stores shed 34,700 jobs in March, the government announced Friday, the single most disappointing figure in a generally disappointing jobs report. The vitality of the retail sector has been muscled out of the spotlight lately by a focus on better-paying manufacturing jobs – but retail outlets still employ millions of Americans and serve as an entry point into the labor force, especially for those with less education and fewer skills.

 

Is the Restaurant Recession Over?

– The Motley Fool 

Last fall, the U.S. restaurant industry hit a wall of worry it has so far been unable to climb. Foot traffic went into retreat, and profits at many chains followed suit. Six months into the so-called “restaurant recession,” the news has yet to show that the industry is on the mend. With the industry cannibalizing itself thanks to over-optimistic expansion, it looks like the “recession” isn’t over yet.

 

A Reborn American Labor Movement Is Coming-If Unions Are Bold Enough to Change

– Quartz

The union-backed Organization United for Respect (OUR) Walmart Executive Director follows other labor leaders in opining on the future of the labor movement and alternative methods of organizing.