COTRA CONNECT
Each month, we randomly select companies from a single industry to respond to questions shaped by trends we’re tracking with workers and consumers nationwide. Companies are invited to reply, share context, or engage in dialogue. Our goal is to build greater balance, transparency, and accountability between decision-makers and those most impacted.
JUNE INDUSTRY
Specialty Retail (Again…)
INVITED TO THE TABLE
The Children’s Place
Zara
Abercrombie & Fitch.
Gap
J.Jill
American Eagle
Talbots
Charlotte Russe
Foot Locker
Starbucks
April Questions
1. Worker Safety
Violence in retail spaces—especially malls—is occurring at a far higher rate than many in the public realize, with shootings and aggressive theft creating growing risks. Within the COTRA Group Retail Network, we’ve heard consistent concern that safety-related requests at the store level are often denied or delayed due to budget constraints. These include being required to work alone, limited access to security support, or a general lack of resources in high-risk situations.
Have your store-level associates raised concerns about their physical safety or well-being while on the job? If so, have budget-related decisions ever limited your company’s ability to fully address those concerns?
2. Union Prevention
When internal systems fall short—such as in matters of safety, fair pay, or retaliation—some employees turn to union representation for support. At the same time, we’ve seen increased interest in how companies prepare for or respond to this trend, particularly through third-party consultants or internal training.
Has your company worked with any external organizations on union-related strategy or training within the last five years? If so, how does your leadership align those efforts with a commitment to equity, transparency, and employee engagement?
3. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
As conversations around DEI continue to evolve, companies are navigating shifting expectations and a wide range of perspectives. Some continue to see DEI as essential to building inclusive workplaces, while others raise questions about structure, measurement, and long-term value.
Does your company currently operate a DEI program or team? How does leadership view its role today, and how do you see it evolving in the years ahead?
Company Responses & Continued Communication
Letters Sent: 10
Responses Received: 0
Abercrombie & Fitch
American Eagle Outfitters
Charlotte Russe
Foot Locker
Gap
J.Jill
Starbucks
Talbots
The Children’s Place
Zara
COTRA follow up - 6/2/25
To Whom It Concerns,
We are following up once again as part of COTRA Group’s ongoing outreach to companies in the specialty retail industry. This marks our third consecutive month attempting to engage your team—and others in the industry—on important issues including worker safety, union activity, and DEI practices. These are not fringe concerns—they reflect growing public demand for clarity, accountability, and fairness.
We have yet to receive a response from your company. While silence is its own kind of answer, it also reinforces the sense of disconnect between the public and the corporate leadership meant to serve them. These questions aren’t going away—and neither are the people asking them.
Because no formal response has been received, we’re now moving forward by speaking directly with those on the front lines: store employees and staff who face the day-to-day realities of company policy. In the weeks ahead, we’ll begin visiting locations and conducting outreach calls to better understand what workers know, how they feel, and what concerns may be going unheard. We’ll be sharing those stories publicly—not to single anyone out—but to give voice to lived experiences, highlight patterns, and grow a movement of people who are tired of seeing profit prioritized over humanity.
We want to emphasize: our door remains open. But we are no longer waiting. This conversation is continuing—with or without participation from corporate leadership.
COTRA Group has been busier than expected providing support to workers and consumers, which has delayed our social media growth. But we’re not discouraged—this kind of work takes time, and we’re in it for the long haul. Our hope is that by the time our visibility expands, your brand has chosen to show concern rather than leave a trail of unanswered outreach. Because eventually, people will ask who engaged—and who ignored the call.
Sincerely,
COTRA Group & Supporters
COTRA follow up - 5/1/25
To Whom It Concerns:
We’re following up regarding our recent outreach as part of COTRA Group’s April initiative focused on the specialty retail industry. As you may recall, your company was among a select group invited to participate in this important first round of open dialogue about worker safety, union strategies, and DEI practices.
To date, we have not received a response from any of the companies contacted, which underscores a deeper challenge: the growing disconnect between public concerns and corporate engagement. We recognize that priorities shift and time is limited, but these issues are not going away—and neither is the collective voice behind them.
In light of this, we are extending the same set of questions and the same list of participating companies into May, providing an additional month to respond. Our commitment is to keep the conversation open and ongoing—returning to these core topics, expanding our reach, and building public support each time—until meaningful dialogue begins. Whether that takes months or years, we are prepared to stay the course. The public’s appetite for honesty, accountability, and humanity is only growing stronger.
We continue to believe that companies grounded in clear values will recognize the opportunity here: to shape the conversation rather than be shaped by it. We hope you’ll consider joining this effort by sharing your insights or perspectives, however brief.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or thoughts. Thank you again for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
COTRA Group & Supporters