New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento on Big Victories for Working People - Minimum Wage, Paid Family Leave

Albany, NY - I am proud of the unified efforts of the 2.5 million members and 3,000 local unions of the New York State AFL-CIO to improve the economic and social well-being of working men and women throughout our state. The Labor Movement has been united and fought tirelessly to raise the minimum wage and implement Paid Family Leave - both critically important issues to working people.

Three million working people in New York State will see their wages go up due to the $15  per hour minimum wage making New York the first state in the country to reach that  landmark.

Raising the minimum wage is long overdue and is a step in the right direction toward addressing poverty and income inequality. This meaningful wage will allow hard-working men and  women the opportunity to better support themselves and their families, and enjoy a standard of living and quality of life they can be proud of.

New York State is also leading the way on Paid Family Leave. This ground-breaking benefit will have a positive impact on working people by allowing them to put their families first during times of need. Whether it is to bond with a newborn or the opportunity to care for an ill or dying family member, working men and women will no longer be forced to choose between being with loved ones during life-changing moments, and the ability to make ends meet.

I want to thank Governor Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Flanagan and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Klein for listening to the working men and women of this state and understanding how the aforementioned legislation will positively impact the lives of all New Yorkers.  Their leadership and actions will set an example for the nation.

Executive Council Member President Both Receives Victory Notice

Top 11 Stories This Week: Fast Food Strikes, Fast Moving TPP, Ikea & Unions, Veterans Day

FEATURED

 

Cuomo to Create $15 Minimum Wage for New York State Workers - See more at: http://www.portside.org/2015-11-10/cuomo-create-15-minimum-wage-new-york-state-workers-2#sthash.mFP5LEwn.dpuf

Cuomo to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 for All New York State Employees

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Tuesday that he would unilaterally establish a $15 minimum wage for all state workers, making New York the first state to set such a high wage for its public employees.

 

Read the entire story @NYTimes

 

Related: Labor's New Reality @LATimes

WHAT'S NEWS THIS WEEK:     1. Providing a Better Life For Our Veterans...Editorial by President Bruce Both   UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce Both's editorial on veterans was featured in two NY newspapers this week, The Downtown Express & Gay City News. We are forever grateful to every veteran for their selfless service.     2. Labor Pains for Mrs. Green's: Company Found Guilty of Labor Violations Polls West Village Community on View of Unions, Workers...   The real question is, why would a company found guilty of firing workers because they wanted a union, ask a community what they think about workers? Read the entire story @NYPost.

3. Mrs. Green's to Suddenly Close Hartsdale Store   The company is in turmoil, and it's treatment of men and women who work in the stores is shameful.

4. Labor's New Reality: Easier to Raise Wages for 100,000 than to Unionize 4,000   Its most prominent organizing campaigns of recent years — of fast-food workers, domestics, taxi drivers and Wal-Mart employees — have prompted states and cities to raise their minimum wage and create more worker-friendly regulations. But what these campaigns haven't done is create more than a small number of new dues-paying union members. Nor, for the foreseeable future, do unions anticipate that they will.

5. Labor Rallys Against TPP in Upstate NY   “This expanded NAFTA style trade agreement will continue offshoring US jobs, increase wealth inequality, grow our trade deficits, and plunge more American families into poverty. It is clear that the TPP is written for the exclusive profit and monopoly interests of transnational corporations, granting them powers that usurp our systems and principles of democracy, civil liberties, and human rights,” said Frank Natalie, Executive Vice President of the Capital District Area Labor Federation.   Related: Obama pushes TPP ahead of Asia trip   Must Read: What a New NAFTA Complaint Can Tell us about the TPP   As the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) debate intensifies, a coalition of U.S. and Mexican labor and civil society groups are taking an unprecedented legal approach to protect workers’ rights that will test the strength of labor protections in international trade agreements.

6. Popeyes CEO on $15 Minimium Wage: "Life will go on,"   "Everybody in retail is dealing with an increase in minimum wage," said Cheryl Bachelder, CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLKI). "We will adjust to increased costs just like we have before. Life will go on. There's been too much hubbub about it."

7. Fast Food Workers Hold Largest Strike Ever.   Fast Food Workers Went on Strike This Week Again on Tuesday...Telling Politicians, Come Get Our Votes   On Tuesday, one year before the 2016 presidential election, thousands of fast food workers walked out of their jobs in 270 cities. Organizers say it is the largest action yet by the three-year old Fight for $15 movement. An even larger number of workers from other low-paying jobs joined them in marches on local city halls in a total of 500 cities to send a message to political candidates: they represent 42 percent of the American workforce, and if they register to vote, they make a difference.

8. IKEA Workers Have Asked for a Union & Company Has Not Responded   Yesterday, a large group of workers at an IKEA store in Massachusetts told the company they want to unionize. IKEA’s response so far? Nothing.

9. Target to Open in Tribeca, NYC

10. The Risk of Not Fighting Climate Change An Iraq War Veteran explains how defending America against climate change, can help defend our country.

11. Haggen puts core stores on the auction block

 

A very similar situation to A&P bankruptcy is ongoing on the west coast, right now.  Super chain, Haggen is auctioning off its stores. Thousands of UFCW members are affected. 

 

Here's the latest UFCW statement.

 

 

 

 

Elsewhere & Out There:

 

Need for Climate Awareness: A study partially funded by Nasa predicted that civilization as we know it could be steadily heading for a collapse within the next century due to climate change– and the window to create impactful change is narrowing. Read the entire story here.

 

 

Thank You:

It's often a thankless job, so we'd like to say, thank you. And thank you for being a subscriber. 

Mid-Week News Briefs:

Image via WikipediaWalmart is currently in the largest class action suit in US history, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard the case Walmart Stores v. Dukes, in order to determine if Walmart is simply "too big" for a class action suit.  More @Supermarket News.

ABC News looks at how other companies embrace women at the workplace.

A&P's retired executives are seeking representation in A&P's Chapter 11, they stopped receiving payments in November from their plan.


Governor Walker is ignoring a court order and publishing his law, curbing collective bargaining for public employees.

The Governor in Maine has removed a mural which illustrated the history of working families in the state.  More:[Video]

Supermarket News reported on UFCW's push for April 4th, We are ONE rally.

Crain's reports a new 16,000 sqft Grocer will be opening on 110th Street.

Walmart is paying attention to the "changing consumer".


The NY Times looks at Aldi, where Walmart (NYC) has failed, they've succeeded.

The Walmart Truth Tour is coming to NYC on Thursday! Earlier this week they were in Chicago, check out the video and report from Progressive Illinois.

Austin Guest from JWJ, "Walmart Associates in their own words, 'this company doesn't respect workers'"

Must Read: Excellent editorial from Matt Ryan of NYJWJ: Sometimes It Takes a Fire to Wake Us Up.

The Atlantic makes is simple, Walmart is greedy and just wants more.

Ohio continues attack on workers, passes Anti-Worker bill.

In Oregon, the UFCW is rallying supporting workers from Albertsons, Fred Myer & Safeway.

Michigan's Item Pricing Law was repealed.

Trader Joe's frozen pizza has been recalled, 131,000 pounds of it.

In Pittsburgh, the UFCW is protesting Giant Eagle's massive cutbacks in workers' hours.

Contracts with 100,000 NY State workers end today at midnight.

Monday One-Liners: 3/26-2/28:

Image via Wikipedia

The firm who facilitated the sale of Penn Traffic last year was honored.

Target's P-Fresh (Grocery) is opening in Connecticut & St.Louis. 

Analysis from Supermarket News: "Stop & Shop's Expansion Continues with Foodtown Purchases"

The NY Times looks at Walmart's Political Campaign to enter NYC. 

Walmart has spent a lot of money on their political campaign to gain support of New Yorkers in order to open their first NYC Store,  WalmartWatch is holding an event on Thursday, March 31 @ NYU with workers from across the Globe... From WalmartWatch:

The company is spending a lot of money to change the debate from the real issue, which is how it treats its associates and creates poverty-level jobs throughout its supply chain. As the world’s largest retailer, how Walmart impacts workers across the globe is a good preview of what kind of jobs it is going to try to bring to NYC. Three workers representing different links in the Wal...mart supply chain will be appearing in New York on Thursday, March 31th as part of Sweatshop, Warehouse, Walmart: A Worker Truth Tour. RSVP on Facebook!

UFCW Local 8 will begin an informational picket at a new Fresh and Easy in California, you can read Fresh & Easy Buzz's take.

This morning, a Walmart Organizer spoke on a panel at the White House, at a Women's History Month Event.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear the infamous Dukes vs Walmart, the largest discrimination suit in United States history.

If you haven't had enough of Walmart NYC polls, there is a new one, showing that New Yorkers agree that a Walmart in NYC would be bad for business.

Wisconsin, Politics, Nation:

What's going in the Midwest, has many middle class workers re-thinking their allegiance to the GOP.  And with high union voter turnout, the Wisconsin Senators are likely to be recalled.

Tom Morello rallied with the UFCW and unions across California this past Saturday, check out the video!

AFL-CIO Blog: Wisconsin Protests, Opportunity for Labor.

In Nassau the MTA eliminated more than half of their 48 bus lines, affecting an estimated 16,000 riders.  Check this image out to see the reductions in service.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said a tentative $132.5 billion state budget deal was struck late Sunday night.


Embattled Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy, who flipped to Republican last election season, has ended his bid for a third term.

As of Friday, there has been no ruling on Scott Walker's Wisconsin "Union Law" curbing bargaining rights for Public Workers.  A lower court declined to weigh in, now the state Supreme Court will weigh in.

 

Secretary-Treasurer Tony Speelman's Column- December 2010

Anger, frustration, disappointment, a few words which gauge the political temperature in our country right now. Who could disagree? There should be anger when we hear statistics like, one in seven Americans are living under the government’s poverty line for a family of four ($21,954 annually). Or when 44 million working-age Americans along with over 20 percent of the country’s children are ‘poor’. Or what about the constant growing statistic of economic disparity between the rich and poor? How thirty years ago, the richest 1 percent of Americans received 9 percent of total national income. By 2007, they had 23 percent. Last year, the top 20 percent of wealth-holders owned 84 percent of America's wealth. These statistics are alarming enough to make any hard working American angry. But anger shouldn’t be and isn’t an excuse for abandoning our rationale.



These problems have been growing for the last 31-years according to Economist Paul Krugman, who has titled the era as the Great Divergence. Between 1929 and 1973, U.S. incomes became MORE equal, while since 1980 for the wealth-holding gap between the rich and poor has grown every year. It’s relevant here in New York in regards to the recent race for Governor between Carl Paladino and Andrew Cuomo. Regardless of who you may have voted for, Mr. Paladino ran a campaign
that was fueled by the anger and frustration of millions of New Yorkers. His campaign slogan was “I’m Mad Too, Carl!” Honestly though, who isn’t angry? Sure, we’re angry, and we love when a politician voices grievances and feelings that we share, but how long can a campaign fueled by anger run? We’d all like to have a better economic standing, but a strategy and platform of anger is not a logical or any type of solution at all. We need someone who not only hears our cries of frustration, but someone who has a solution. Just telling people you’re angry and frustrated along with promoting more tax-breaks for the rich at the expense of the working class won’t solve anything. Anger, frustration and disappointment, are not
buzzwords for a resume applying to run the State of New York.We are all too familiar with the taste of anger and frustration, what we need is a strategy of new ideas that propel the working class to a new generation of prosperity.



How is this relevant to us as Union members? We are part of the solution. We’re part of a much bigger picture. Our role and importance should never be undervalued, underestimated or overlooked. We are the working men and women who run this country. Can anger blind your solidarity? Recently and looking back at Election Day results, the answer could be yes. The problem sometimes is that we all take our country’s labor history for granted. The pre-historic and obsolete branding that unions receive from mainstream media outlets could not be anything further from the truth. The purpose unions serve, and have served in this country is far greater than words in this column can describe. In an economy as difficult as the one we’re all living in today, it seems unions should be relevant and important as they have ever been. With staggering unemployment rates, lack of job security, growing wage disparities between rich and poor, it almost seems crazy not to be a union member. Turning to anger is and quick and easy knee-jerk reaction. One political analyst may have put it best when describing the recent anger movement in the political world,

“The tea party should be angry that, during both Republican and Democratic administrations, American companies have closed thousands of manufacturing plants and shipped millions of jobs overseas. Tea partiers are angry — or jealous — that public employee unions exist and that they achieve good wages and benefits for their members…”


There are people in the media that want to divide us and break the links in our chain of solidarity. People who want to dismiss the very notion that it was Unions who helped build this country, and that Unions can and will once again re-build this country! How can we do this? By sticking together in tough times!


We are the solution. We are not “out-dated”. All of us are tied together as brothers and sisters. We need to continually remind ourselves that we are all working together.

No matter which department in the supermarket you work in or within another union, we are family. We need to remind ourselves that people want to be in a union in this country. They want to enjoy the luxuries we have like a voice on the job, guaranteed breaks, guaranteed raises, job security, vacations, health insurance, a pension, and representation. We are proud to be union. No matter where you stand politically, Republican, Democrat, Independent, Tea Party, any party, we must not allow our emotions to get the best of us and bring them to the polls. Holding politicians accountable for policies that impact wealth distribution, and policies that enhance our lives as union members is not only the rationale thing we can all do, it’s our duty as members of the Labor Movement. That means voting with your head, not your emotions.

I cannot say it enough, how proud I am to be your Secretary-Treasurer. I look forward to seeing you all at the new union office. As always, my door will be and is always open to you to talk business or for whatever it may be. You may also call me whenever you’d like at 1-800-522-0456. I urge you to stay in contact with your union. Come to your General Membership meetings every 3-months (our next General Membership meeting is December 8th). Sign up for email alerts on the union website www.ufcw1500.org. Communicate with your union representative, and never let anger be your solution to your frustrations. I hope to see you on December 8th.
Have a happy and healthy holiday!

Quick Recap of this past Election Day

By: Jessica Lynch

United States Senator (NY) Kristen Gillibrand visits a UFCW Local 1500 Represented ShopRite

Election Day results were deeply disappointing to the millions of voters who voted to support candidates that fight for hard working Americans.   Candidates who fight for everyday people who go to work to do their best to support their families. Although overall results throughout the country were not in our favor, we would like to thank all of you who went out to vote for values of equality, freedom and solidarity with our Union. Your votes helped send Carl Paladino packing by electing Andrew Cuomo for Governor and Eric Schneiderman for Attorney General. In the State Comptroller race, Democratic/Working Families candidate Tom DiNapoli won. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer kept their spots in the U.S Senate.  Another key victory was Frank Padavan's 38-year Senatorial reign ended, as it was toppled by Democrat Tony Avella on Tuesday night. "People voted for change, they voted for different representation," said Avella. We were not as fortunate with wins in other areas of New York. Overall the Democratic Party won New York and we would like to thank again all of you who went out and voted in this election.

Monday Morning News

Cuomo's First Union
Before he had even formally announced his candidacy for governor yesterday, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 President Bruce Both offered a formal endorsement of AG Andrew Cuomo, callling him "a man of action, not just empty rhetoric."

Striking Shaw's Workers Begin March
METHUEN,Mass-- About 80 striking workers from Shaw's warehouse began the first lef of a 60-mile march to Boston yesterday to protest their contract disagreement with the chain, according to local reports.

Wal-Mart Worker Fired for Stopping Shoplifter
WICHITA, Kansas-- A Wal-Mart worker hailed as a hero for stopping a shoplifter was fired Saturday. Wal-Mart refuses to comment but Heather Ravenstein says she was told she was being let go because of her actions Friday.

Columbia Athletics Joins Fairway Market in Supporting Breast Cancer Research through WBCA Pink Zone Initiative
For the third year in a row, Columbia University Athletics joined the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and over 1,800 schools around the country raising money and awareness for breast cancer research.

Whole-Foods-Sporting 57th Street Tower Breaks Ground
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for 250 East 57th Street that will have two schools, a Whole Foods supermarket and a 350-unit glassy residential tower hovering above it.

California House Speaker to be honored at Labor Awards
California's Speaker of the House John Perez will be honored on Saturday at the 10th annual Solidarity Leadership Awards.

ShopRite to Debut Four Stores in Connecticut

Wednesday Morning One Liners...Wal-Mart voted Greenest by consumers?

Image via Wikipedia

AFL-CIO President Richard Tumpka to Bankers: "You work for us now."

In a surprising study, consumer see Clorox and Wal-Mart as the 'Greenest Companies'.

Fairway and Columbia Athletics are teaming up

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. (A&P) has promoted Carol DiNicolantonio to the position of VP of pharmacy, A&P..

Washington Square News looks at Fruit Vendors.

Workers at Ford voted against cuts yesterday, which would have been their third labor concession in the last two years. 

Politics, Politics

The Times reviews last nights final Mayoral debate between Thompson and Bloomberg.

The Daily News writes about the praise Andrew Cuomo is receiving from the White House.

Census Data: A Republican senator’s proposal to count only United States citizens when reapportioning Congress would cost California five seats and New York and Illinois one each, according to an independent analysis of census data released Tuesday. Texas, which is projected to gain three seats after the 2010 census, would get only one.

By 2050, the world's population will be 9.1 billion....Requiring a 70% increase in global food production, the New York Times asks, how will we feed them?

Welcome back Bottle Bill, Monday Morning Read...

Image via Wikipedia

The heavily debated Bottle Bill is back for the attack, after a federal judge overturned the injunction that had previously halted the bill. The New York Times has more on how the State can start collecting in on what is estimated to be 10's of millions of dollars.

The Progressive Grocer covers the opening of Pathmark in New Dorp.

Last week, when Whole Foods stance on Healthcare was released, many customers are serious about boycotting the store.

Local

The New York Times writes that Long Islanders are hopeful that the new 'Lighthouse' project in Hempstead will bring jobs, development and much needed revenue to Nassau County.

Slumlords are getting $81 million of the stimulus, despite owning hazardous buildings with numerous code violations.

The Gotham Gazette looks at the City Council District 33 race, and the changes that candidates are facing.

New polls are showing that David Patterson is far behind Andrew Cuomo for NYS Governor.

Tim Bishop has a new challenger.

Monday Morning News...

Image by Jose P Isern Comas via Flickr

Chicagoans shopping at online grocer Peapod can buy their groceries for less than Ralphs customers can in Los Angles or D'Agostino customers in New York, according to a study released this week by research firm IBISWorld, based here.

Kroger has announced they have reached a tentative contract agreement with workers at 30 Dayton-area stores represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75.

New Yorkers fight for paid sick days.

WakeUpWalmart and Wal-Mart Watch have merged.

JC Penny opened their 153,000 sqft store in Manhattan.

One day after it failed to achieve a two-thirds majority vote in the U.S. House, the Food Safety Enhancement Act was passed yesterday by a vote of 283-142.

The Village Voice looks at the changes coming to Bushwick as a new 10,000 sqft shopping center opens with an Organic grocery store anchoring the center.

And the Whole Foods Gowanus site has been tagged up.

Politics

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East endorsed Bill de Blasio for New York City Public Advocate, and John Liu for New York City Comptroller.

Rudy Giuliani contemplates running for Governor.“I hope there’s no hope for the health care plan this year,” Rudy Giuliani said on Sean Hannity’s show.

New York Times: Cuomo playing the game of wait and see.

And Eric Gioia looks at the wide range of costs of drugs throughout NYC.

Scan It! updates, Price Chopper sues a competitor and builds a Green store, Friday Morning One Liners...

What's up with the King Kullen in South Hampton development?

Here's another piece and video on 'ScanIt' the new supermarket technology that allows customers to scan their products.

Price Chopper is suing Giant Food Markets for $20 million for allegedly stealing trade secrets... According to a complaint filed in New York State Supreme Court here, a surveillance tape caught a former salesman for the beverage distribution company AL George LLC entering an "employees only" bottle supply closet at a Price Chopper in Binghamton, N.Y., and stealing ad fliers that were planned for distribution the following week. He then passed them on to his immediate superior in the store's parking lot, who in turn gave the fliers to August O. Kutchinski, director of operations for Giant Markets of Binghamton, the lawsuit alleges.

Price Chopper is also debuting a prototype "Green Supermarket"

Supermarket News picked up the bagger story here.

Wegmans Food Markets is encouraging shoppers to support "One Stop Shop N.J.," a proposal to let more supermarkets sell beer and wine.

Aldi is opening a new Georgia warehouse.

Sales were down at Costco, Target, and BJ's in May.

Read more about the Food Safety Enchancement act of 2009

Keep Wal-Mart out of NYC.

More on the Colorado UFCW Local's fight with their Governor. Governor Ritter, also plans on vetoing another union bill, one that would enable fire-fighters to unionize.

Politics

Carolyn McCarthy said she won’t run against Kirsten Gillibrand, citing personal reasons

Steve Israel is 'open' to backing Gillibrand's opponent.

Andrew Cuomo's editorial in Newsday.

The NY Assembly votes to legalize mixed martial arts (MMA) in NY.

AmazonFresh stays in Seattle, Pathmark hosts a Sylvia dinner, June One Liners,...

Image via CrunchBase

AmazonFresh, a food delivery system that is only available in Seattle through Amazon.com, will halt any expansion plans and only remain in Seattle for the time being.

Pathmark will host 'Sylvia's Soul Tour', events aimed at raising money for the American Cancer Society. First dinner takes place at the Harlem store on June 5 from 3-7PM

UFCW Local's 21 and 44 have merged and will now be apart of UFCW 21.

Ohio's UFCW announces a government relations director.

Wal-Mart Stores has agreed to establish a “rigorous” price inspection and monitoring system in Arizona to ensure the state’s consumers have access to accurate and clearly posted prices, the policy comes out of a lawsuit filed in July 2006 when Wal0Mart had failed 526 pricing inspections out of 976 conducted by Arizona's Department of Weights and Measures.

Connecticut could ban the sale of plastic baby bottles, food containers and cups containing Bisphenol-A, following the approval of the ban in the Connecticut Senate...BPA, is used to harden plastic and make it shatterproof, also used to line the insides of food containers, is widely considered by scientists to be a serious health threat.

Wal-Mart workers in St.Paul are rallying to organize on Thursday.

There's talk of reppealing a big box ban in California.

In Colorado King Soopers union employees were at work without a contract Monday after their previous deal expired Sunday.

Politics

There are two bills moving through NYS Legislature that would eliminate some difficult hurdles for public employee unions to strike.

Here's some info on the "Farmworker Fair Practice Act" which would provide such benefits as, collective bargining rights for farm laborers, a minimum rest guarentee, and an overtime rate.

Sarah Palin will be honored in Long Island this week.

Andrew Cuomo won't challenge Governor Patterson.

Anthony Weiner endorses Bill Thompson for Mayor of NYC.

Balducci's to close NY stores, Bloomberg is an Independent, Monday Morning One Liners...

Image via Wikipedia

Balducci's will four stores in June, including both New York City locations.

The NY Post has some customer reactions and more on the closing.

The Minnesota Grocery Association is offering free re-usable bags to all customers as part of a campaign to make 'Green your Routine'

The RWDSU held a protest in New Jersey in front of an Auto Parts store where 50 union members protested a 2 year wage freeze and loss of pension funding.

Politics

Atlantic City - The manager of the local Wal-Mart and its exterminator were charged with animal cruelty after they allegedly used inhumane methods to take care of birds that had gotten into the store, the president of the Atlantic County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Thursday

Wendall Young IV, President of UFCW Local 1776 publicly debated the Employee Free Choice Act with Gene Barr, vice president of Pennslyvania's largest business association.

An executive who led what was once one of the country's biggest electrical wiring companies pleaded innocent Friday to charges that he bribed a union official. Former Petrocelli Electric chairman and principal owner Santo Petrocelli Sr. is accused of making secret payments for a decade to a representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

NY State AG, Andrew Cuomo is looking into charges that liquor stores have been threatening wine-makers who supported selling wine in grocery stores, a debate which ended last week.

Meanwhile, the battle of wine in grocery stores is far from over.

Dozens of migrant workers in Bradford, Markham, Leamington, and East Toronto have been arrested, detained and are likely slated for deportation at the Rexdale Immigration Holding Centre after a series of US style immigration raids carried out by CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) throughout this week.

Daily News: Patterson must improve poll numbers or forget about 2010.

NY State passes $131 million dollar budget.

Newsday looks at how bad the budget is for Long Island.

The Independence Party has endorsed Bloomberg.

Adolfo Carrion is admist another scandal, spending campaign cash for a farewell party.

Former representative John Sweeney now faces a felony D.W.I. charge.

Citarella to Long Island East End, Gourmet Garage recalls peanuts, Wal-Mart pays $49,000,000 in back wages....

Image via Wikipedia

A former IGA in eastern Long Island will become a Citarella.

More from the South Hampton Press on Citarella.

The Gourmet Garage has recalled peanuts.

Smithfield Foods has announced plans to close six plants and shed 1,800 staff.

Another poll concluded that New Yorkers want an income tax hike for the rich.

Gristedes buys Jefferson Market.

Changing of the guard at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart outpaces a weak economy.

Wal-Mart in South Carolina pays $49,000,000 in back wages.

Albertsons to close 9 stores.

Comparable-store sales fell 4% at Whole Foods Market here in the first quarter, the company said yesterday. Net income declined 17.4%, to $32.3 million, on flat sales overall of about $2.47 billion.
Read more of this story

Stop & Shop here will partner with Willard Bishop, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Modiv Media for a series of in-store marketing tests to measure the effectiveness of Modiv’s promotional delivery systems.
Read more of this story

Economist: Wages don't reflect increased productivity.

Wal-Mart uses rescession as ally to open new stores in Chicago, Fresh Market and family, Monday Morning News...

Image by

What's the haps with Wal-Mart

Citing the need for new investment to boost the sagging local economy, Wal-Mart is preparing to launch a new push for approval of as many as five new stores in Chicago, sources said Thursday.

Wal-Mart eyes 12 'Food Deserts' in Chicago.

Wal-Mart to cash a check for up to 6 times to state fee in Connecticut.

Grand Jury is calling witnesses for the Wal-Mart stampede this past Thanksgiving.

Springsteen fans: "disappointed" [Wal-Mart deal]

Elsewhere

Fresh Market goes corporate: The 26-year family run 'The Fresh Market' came to an end last week when the Berry family stepped down from CEO position.

A Federal agency declares Bashas' discriminates against Hispanic employees.

Smith's & Food 4 Less ratify UFCW contracts in Las Vegas.

BJ's Wholesale Club goes back to basics.

Politics

New York Times: Patterson's Supermarket Winery's.

More on the debate on selling wine in Supermarkets.

NY GOP to Guiliani: "Help"

Working Families Party pushes forward in Suffolk County.

SEIU, UCFW and other worker rights advocates are escalating their campaign against Republican efforts to obstruct the appointment of Congressmember Hilda Solis as the new Labor Secretary. Solis

Companies and Unions set to square off on Employee Free Choice.

Gillibrand the flip flopper.

Andrew Cuomo, not running for Governor, speaks to conservatives.

A&P to close 5 stores, Wakefern cuts wages of pro union employee, Thursday Morning One Liners..

Image via Wikipedia

A&P to close 5 SuperFresh stores.

Joe Sorrentino, a worker at a Wakefern PriceRite Supermarket in North Providence, Rhode Island, has been punished (pay cut) for standing up for a union at his workplace, according to charges filed by UFCW Local Union 328 with the National Labor Relations Board.

A spokeswoman for Wakefern Food Corp. told SN Wednesday that the retailer demoted a Rhode Island worker for violating company policy, and not for speaking at a pro-labor rally, as a local union alleged.
Read more of this story

Here's the story on UFCW filing the charge.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday it would extend settlement talks 
with Whole Foods Markets Inc  for a month in hopes of resolving an antitrust case
against the upscale grocery chain.

A piece of Gov. David Paterson's plan to plug a $13 billion budget deficit appeared to fall out Wednesday when union leaders rejected his ideas of scrapping a pay raise for state workers and having them work five days without pay.

Aldi selects a new Ad Agency.

Another death at Wal-Mart?

Wal-Mart in the midst of a magazine battle.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported a better-than-expected 2.1 percent rise in January sales at U.S.

Costco Wholesale Corp. here yesterday said it expects it earnings for the second quarter, which ends Feb. 15, to be below analysts' consensus estimates of 70 cents per share, largely because of slow sales in nonfood items, heavy markdowns, weaker margins in fuel sales and soft international results against a strengthening U.S. dollar.
Read more of this story

Fresh & Easy’s produce sales have increased more than 11% since January, when the company introduced its new 98-cent produce packs, the company said yesterday in a release.
Read more of this story

The future of NYC (Slide Show, Crain's)

About one hundred protesters burst into a Midtown Manhattan hotel ballroom, and interrupted Mayor Bloomberg as he gave a speech about the city's economic outlook.

Andrew Cuomo accepted an invitation to speak to the Conservative Party, speculating more rumors.

Patterson to limit subway fare and toll increases.

Gillibrand to visit Brooklyn school who lost a student to gun violence.