Showing posts with label BJ's Wholesale Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BJ's Wholesale Club. Show all posts

Friday, April 27, 2012

Friday's News Bites

Press Release from UFCW Local 342: Members Say Cutbacks in Staff Hours, Budget Causes Resident Neglect at Catholic Nursing Home in Queens

Mayor Bloomberg vetoed NYC's prevailing wage bill.

Crain's NY Business: Despite Scandal, Walmart pushes on in NYC.

Elsewhere, a human torso was sent to BJ's Wholesale Club on accident, what?

Why? NYC is still the only municipality in New York to require finger printing when applying for Food Stamps.

Elsewhere, a human torso was sent to BJ's Wholesale Club by mistake, what?

And a reminder, Target in Valley Stream will be closing their doors for 'renovations' Saturday April 28.  We're calling this union-busting.

This Saturday is Workers' Memorial Day.  What's Workers Memorial Day? Check out this blog post: "Why Workers Memorial Day is Important to Me"  We're honoring and remembering all fallen and injured workers throughout the world.  To find an event near you, head here.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Week's End News Briefs:

It's Hispanic Heritage month at the UFCW!

Why is Target's glamor continuing to fade? Business Week highlights the reasons, one of them being their dreadful labor practices...Or a former Target executive sums up the retailer’s existential moment this way:
“Target has been able to hide behind Wal-Mart’s size, and I don’t think it can do that anymore.”
A supermarket in Brooklyn faces over $62,000 in fines for locking night-shift workers inside the store.

The New York City Council approved a new Brooklyn shopping center to be anchored with a BJ's Wholesale Club.

The CEO of BJ's affirms that the sale of the company was the right decision.

Report: Walmart needs 159 stores in NYC to satisfy their Bloodlust...The Report shows the city would be devastating: a net loss of 3,980 jobs, $353 in lost wages, 105 businesses lost in East New York alone, and 4,279 new happy Wal-Mart employees who'd have to rely on government-funded health care. [download the pdf]

NY1 Exclusive: Walmart needs 159 NYC Stores.


City Hall News: A Walmart Invasion Predicted...


Gawker: Horrifying Study: 159 NYC Walmart Stores.

Meanwhile in Chicago, Walmart is opening their 3rd store in the last few years...

Here's a list of top U.S. Urban Food Deserts, NYC comes in at #8.

Census shows that 1 in 5 New Yorkers lives in poverty.

 Tentative pact reached in So.Cal UFCW Labor negotiations.









Monday, August 15, 2011

Monday Mornin' News Briefs: 8/12-8/15


Steven Greenhouse from the NYTimes: In Strike Verizon, Union trade Barbs.
45,000 workers began their strike against Verizon Communications last Sunday, their unions have repeatedly stressed one point: Verizon’s push for concessions would “destroy middle-class jobs” and “push workers out of the middle class.”

From union-busting at home to labor violations, and alleged sweatshop conditions overseas, Target's honeymoon is over, via Working in These Times.

Islip Patch checks out Aldi in Bayshore, their first Long Island shop.

The Street is wondering what Walmart stands for nowadays, as they are no longer the 'everyday low price'.  What they stand for? Here's a starting point for the people @The Street, low wages, discrimination, destroying small businesses and communities

Walmart even made a bid to purchase BJ's Wholesale Club earlier this summer.

In Bristol, CT, Walmart is hunting for more of the grocery business.

Here's Walmart's new "Healthy, Environmental, Sustainable" pitch to New Yorkers, in their mailer to the Park Slope area.

SN: Pressures Face Walmart in NYC.


Walmart continues to buy its way into Brooklyn.
 
Editorial: Walmart's arrival would benefit them, not us...[Amsterdam News]

UFCW Local 23 Kroger workers rejected an offer from the company on Friday.

Bloomberg News: Seven UFCW chapters to vote on strike.

Bethpage Federal Credit Union in Levittown King Kullen was robbed last week.

The Fresh Market continues to expand, opening 2 new stores in the Pittsburgh area.

The closed Stella D'oro factory in the Bronx will become a BJ's Wholesale Club in 2013.

A Penny per a pound, AlterNet asks why won't the "progressive" Trader Joe's sign the agreement not to sell slave tomatoes? [WSJ]

#politics, #elsewhere
On Recall Elections, NYTimes: Wisconsin's Warning to Union-Busters.

Check out how your elected officials voted this year with AFL-CIO's scorecard

As economy dips, picket lines on the rise.

Be cautious of what you post on Facebook...
In a recent ground-breaking case, an employee of the American Medical Response of Connecticut was fired for criticism of her supervisor on her Facebook page. The medical technician was accused of violating a policy that bars employees from depicting the company “in any way” on Facebook or other social media sites, among other things.
Fired up, ready to fight: 2011 Jobs with Justice national convention highlights.





Friday, June 24, 2011

Quick Friday Afternoon News Recaps

We've been tied up with the TargetChange campaign....But here's some ongoings in the NY Grocery Industry News:


AlterNet: "Anti-Union Life @Target." AlterNet looks deeper at what it's like to work at Target & other big box retail stores....
More BJ's Wholesale Club buyout rumors have surfaced, raising their stock prices.

Walmart gets a free pass from the Supreme Court over discrimination.

The Hunts Point Market is still opposed to Walmart opening in NYC.

Christine Quinn wants Walmart to buy local produce IF the chain opens in NYC.

They [Walmart] continue to donate and donate $$ into Washington DC and NYC, drawing criticisms of trying to "buy" their way into the city.

On July 20 a Pathmark in Cherry Hill, New Jersey will be up for auction.

Mrs.Green's officially confirms the purchase of A&P's Superfresh stores. More @ Gourmet.







Monday, March 21, 2011

Afternoon News Recap: 3/18-3/21



The Washington D.C. Council is considering Walmart curbs, forcing retailers over 75k sqft and over $1 billion annual sales revenue, to sign a Community Benefits Agreement.

Sam Martin outlines his 5 steps for A&P's turnaround in Forbes. (link updated)

A judge in Wisconsin filed an injunction to block Scott Walker's collective bargaining law.

John Castimatidis is unsure if he'll run for Mayor of NYC.

Walmart announced they'll be opening 6 new stores in Chicago.

The NLRB has upheld UFCW Local 371's organizing victory of 400 workers at Foxwoods Casino.

BJ's Wholesale Club is looking to open a new store in Lansing, NY and Amherst, NY.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Friday Morning One-Liners: 3/9-3/11;

“And for those politicians who seek to emulate Governor Walker, rest assured, these attacks on middle class families have unified and inspired an even stronger grassroots movement for change in this country.”   UFCW International's statement on GOP attacking workers' rights.

Wednesday night under sobering pressure from polls and recalls, Governor Walker urgently rammed through his anti-union legislation"In 30 minutes, the 18 Republican senators stripped away 50 years of worker rights," Poll after poll shows support for Public Workers and thousands of protesters rushed the state Capitol in Wisconsin.

The UFCW International released a statement on Wisconsin GOP's attack on workers. 

Labor has vowed to step up the recall effort in Wisconsin, "This legislative gimmick proves Walker's attack on the middle class was never about balancing the budget; it was always about stripping workers of a voice and rewarding the cronies who helped finance his campaign." Read more @ Huffington Post.

Mad about Wisconsin?? Tell your NY elected officials via AFL-CIO.  

32 BJ Press Release: Democracy, Not Just Wages, Under Attack in Wisconsin & Elsewhere.

Thousands gather @ Indiana's Statehouse for a labor rally.

NFL Players back Indiana's public workers.

#Industry
The first three 15,000 sqft Walmarts will open between May and early summer in Arkansas.  More @Bloomberg.

Business Week & The WSJ report Walmart plans on opening 'hundreds' of small stores.

On Thursday, Walmart said the company is considering acquiring retailers with smaller stores to help turn around its weakened U.S. business.  More @ ABC News.
In a few days, Betty Dukes will be fighting Walmart in the Supreme Court, send her a message of encouragement.

Join Walmart Watch in calling Justice Antonin Scalia to recuse himself from the Dukes v. Walmart case.  The Justice's son is a partner at Walmart's law firm in the massive gender discrimination suit.

A  BJ's Wholesale club will be opening in Garden City in 2012.

Fresh Direct is receiving a $50M investment to expand out of NY.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Mid Week One-Liners: 3/6-3/9

“Almost half of this shopping center depends on that store!” said Connie’s Pizza owner Louis Sabino. “It’ll kill us when it closes.”- Small Business Owners concerned about the  Nostrand Ave. Pathmark closing.

Whole Foods in Tribeca is now offering a concierge service.

In California, where the UFCW is negotiating contracts covering 62,000 grocery workers, Paul Suchecki of the Venice Patch writes an Op-Ed entitled 'Unions Get No Respect'.

BJ's Wholesale Club is expanding to Buffalo.

Stand in Solidarity on April 4th! the AFL-CIO has organized a 'We are One' rally.  Supporting workers across Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and throughout America.

Last week we objected to A&P's bonus plan, yesterday, a judge in White Plains sort of objected:
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain in White Plains, N.Y., on Tuesday gave the company permission to pay bonuses to more than 140 "second-tier" managers, saying those bonuses had triggers that were not a "walk in the park." He said the company needs to develop a business plan, negotiate more terms for its reorganization and show more business metrics before granting $440,000 per person to three top executives, however. More @ Supermarket News -Bloomberg News/North Jersey.
 Pathmark announced a new program "Pathmark Perks" for their shoppers.

Mom & Pops surrounding Nostrand Ave. Pathmark are concerned about business once the Pathmark closes.  Yournabe wonders if they need another supermarket and who will fill the vacant space.

Props to Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel for warning food retailers, if they're planning to grow their businesses in the city of Chicago they must include the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables to underserved inner-city neighborhoods in their plan.

Yesterday was International Women's Day.  Check out Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis' statement here.  Join the UFCW Women's Network on Facebook, and watch this video: James Bond for Women's Rights.


Thursday, March 3, 2011

Thursday 3/3 Lunchtime One-Liners:

 “I've worked there from August 2004 and I have never had a vacation; I've gotten sick and had to go to work sick; I've worked on holidays and haven't gotten paid extra; and I never got overtime,” said Jesus Najera, a 31-year-old immigrant from Honduras who plans to vote in favor of the union. “We think that with the union there will be changes for the better at the store.” -From Today's Crain's: Two Brooklyn Supermarkets Hit with Class-Action Suits.
#Industry 

Target has beaten Walmart in a pricing survey.

Meanwhile, they've [Target] just paid $35M for a hefty piece of property in the Bronx, looking for their third store in the borough. 

BJ's Wholesale Club is projecting gains in 2011.

King Kullen's new nutritional shopping guide is a hit, so far.

BJ's Wholesale Club's profit's are in the decline by 81%, but rising fuel costs have been a major help... Their Q4 was dragged down by expenses but its adjusted results beat expectations, sending its shares higher.

Ahold's (Stop & Shop) Q4 profit is down 42%. More @CanadianBusiness.

CBS News says retail sales were strong, but expect price increases soon.

Atlantic City Press: Town board to review Walmart's Expansion.

Our brothers and sisters @Local338 & @NYChange (NY Communities for Change) are working to improve working conditions at two Brooklyn Supermarkets. Great work!

If you've been following the Walmart South Africa story, Walmart's merger w/ Massmart (South Africa) is a threat, both sides have been unwilling to unwillingness to make any  commitments that would address public interest concerns about the impact of the merger on local procurement, food security and broad-based black economic empowerment: “A merger of the size of the proposed Wal-Mart/Massmart transaction, and with the size and leverage of the parties which are involved, could, if not properly regulated, go some way towards undermining the New Growth Path”, the departments said.

#WalmartNYC
Brooklyn Business Owners Fear Walmart's Presence...Edgar Andrade fears Wal-Mart's low prices would drive his hardware and dollar store out of business if the company opened a location nearby.

’s Women Problem: "New Yorkers might think twice before allowing such drama into our City" 

#StandupUnions
More than 20,000 rally for Ohio for Public Employees. But yesterday Ohio's Senate passed a Bill to weaken collective bargaining rights for public employees, the bill bans the right to strike, read more @ The NY Times
In Ohio, Nina Turner, a Senate Democrat, said, “This bill seeks to vilify our public employees and turn what used to be the virtue of public service into a crime.” At its heart, the bill redraws rules governing how several hundred thousand public-sector workers bargain with the governments that employ them. Among the most objectionable parts, workers said, are the rules giving local officials the final say in breaking labor impasses. Currently, non-elected, third parties decide.
Why are workers being used as bailouts for economic problems? The elected officials are mostly to blame for fiscal problems, not workers!

UFCW Activists, help workers in Ohio!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Thursday's Mid Week One-Liners: Store Closings, BJ's, Acme, Shaw's


NY1 ran another story on Walmart in NYC, interviewing a Walmart spokesman.
 
The new Fairway Market in Douglaston, Queens will open by the end of the summer. [Patch] [NY Daily News]

Walmart tried building a store on a Civil War battle field, so what why wouldn't they try and build a store in Paradise, California.  Just seems weird, to have a Walmart in a place called Paradise.

Store Closings
BJ's Wholesale Club announced they're laying off 500 workers and closing 5 stores.

Shaw's also announced they'll be closing five stores, three in Rhode Island and two in Connecticut.  So far they've been silent on how many workers the closings will affect, read more @ Boston Globe.

And one more company announced store closings, Acme announced they will close five Philadelphia stores by the end of February.
Must Read: WNYC Blog, Conservatives Use Blizzard to Push Anti-Labor Agenda
Online Organizing was the key to an IEBW Organizing victory this August, read the entire article @ the AFL-CIO Blog.

Bloomberg News reports that Royal Ahold, (Owners of Stop and Shop Supermarket) is more likely to make an acquisition in the U.S. than to sell any units in the country.

Stop & Shop is likely to cut and move workers from it's Quincy headquarters.

Change.org asks if the D.C. Mayor will support 'Good Jobs' or 'Walmart'.

Walmart is having a lot of trouble with environmental studies in Orchard Park, Buffalo.
 

Monday, January 3, 2011

Happy New Year Morning One Liners


YourNabe
(Queens Edition) explains the Walmart poll,  gets a few opinions from local elected officials in Queens, U.S. Representative Weiner had to say on the issue,
“I think that Walmart is an omnivorous competitor that squashes small business wherever it goes and small business is the lifeblood of New York City,” Weiner said. “I think that people like the shopping strips of Queens, which would become ghost towns if Walmart moved to the neighborhood.”
The story also quotes the President of the local Chamber of Commerce who said no one has came up to her, asking for a Walmart in the neighborhood.  Read the entire spot here: http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/12/30/queens/qns_queens_walmart_20101230.txt  

More @ The Queens Courier 

From Racked via WWD, gives a nicely detailed report on the potential Walmart NYC store format (with picture) with quotes from Steven Restivo, Walmart's Northeast Director of Community Relations, questioning the NYC Council hearing.

Next Animation TV created an interesting video of the Walmart/NYC saga.  The Observer has more.
 
NY Mag tell their readers that 'Wal-Mart Will Invade Brooklyn Come Hell, High Water, Or Lack of Parking Space', and asks, why won't Walmart listen to our disinterest and why do we need a Walmart in NYC?

In non-Walmart news, there will be a CB-11 hearing tonight on the new Fairway in Douglaston, Queens. [Patch]

Upstate NY, Supermarket Price Wars: Weis Markets, Wegman's Aldi, Walmart, Price Chopper continue.

Boston Herald: BJ's Takeover Back in the Spotlight

In Manchester, Iowa, a Mom & Pop store owner is circulating a petition to not allow Walmart's grocery expansion of their store.  The family operated store "Main Street Market" would be in jeopardy of closing if the Walmart expansion would occur. [Chicago Tribune]

Andrew Cuomo is seeking a One-Year salary freeze for all state employees. [NY Times]

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Wednesday Morning One Liners:

OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 08:  The Wal-Mart logo i...Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Up in Thompsonville, NY, Local 342 won an election and ratified a five-year contract at Deb-El Foods, Inc.

Fairway's new warehouse will cut truck traffic, what used to be six truck deliveries a day to their store on 74th and Broadway, will now be a mere two truck stops to stock up the store.  DNAinfo has more.

The New York Times has a piece detailing that even New Yorkers who shop regularly at Wal-Mart don't want all the affects a Wal-Mart in NYC would bring. 
“I don’t believe Wal-Mart should be in the city,” Ms. Clark, 29, said. “All the local mom-and-pop stores would lose business. And it’s already congested. I mean, can you just imagine?”  Read more @NYT
In more Wal-Mart taking over the retail world news, they, along with five other companies have bought the fast growing online retail giant in China, 360buy.com.  The investment is reported to be $3.3 billion.

Private Equity Firm Leonard Green is mulling a BJ's Wholesale Club takeover, the NY Post Reports. The New York Times also commented on the possible takeover.

Supermarket News covered our meeting with NYC Mayor Bloomberg, asking NYC to help with the recently bankrupt A&P.
Supermarket News is also reporting that ShopRite is eying a major 'Albany expansion'.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Weeks End One Liners: ShopRite may open in Patchogue, A&P Sells Six Properties


Walmart Wage & Hour suit Settled in CA
A U.S. District Court judge in Oakland, CA granted final approval this week to the settlement of a wage-and-hour class-action suit against Wal-Mart's California operations.

The settlement, which provides for a payment of between $43 million and $86 million, concludes more than four years of litigation concerning payment of wages to California workers. As part of the settlement, Wal-Mart also agreed to continue to maintain electronic systems that will protect the rights of workers. 

The Observer reports on Wal-Mart's latest sales pitch to enter NYC...a great read that counters the NY Post's endless Walmart support:
Yet it is just as possible that Walmart could undermine other city retailers who pay better wages, which gives people more money to spend at other stores, which also helps drive the economy. Less disposable income, less taxes, a greater housing burden, more welfare and so on
A ShopRite may be the previously unconfirmed supermarket to be moving in next to the Raymour & Flanagan furniture store that is under construction on the site of the former Home Depot on Sunrise Highway in Patchogue.

The struggling A&P announced on Tuesday they have agreed to sell six Pathmark locations to Winstanley Enterprises in a sale- leaseback transaction for $89.8 million. 

More @ Reuters.

Meanwhile yesterday A&P announced a new in-store marketing partnership.

Wal-Mart Opens New $115M Distribution Center Outside Calgary
Wal-Mart Canada officially opened today its new $115-million fresh-food distribution center in Balzac, which will serve as a hub for its wester Canadian stores. 

City Officials Try to Win Over Walmart Opponents
Baltimore, MD -- A proposed Walmart in the heart of the city is a step closer to becoming reality. The mayor and council said they believe the 11-acre complex will be a valuable economic engine for the for the city and they've managed to win over many community members who initially opposed the project. 


BJ's Wholesale Club is for Sale?[Buisness Week]
BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. plans to run an auction to sell itself after receiving an offer from private-equity firm Leonard Green & Partners LP in recent months, said three people with knowledge of the situation.
BJ’s hired Morgan Stanley to help sell the company, said two people, who declined to be identified because the matter is private. Morgan Stanley will also offer to provide financing to potential buyers, or so-called staple financing.
More @ Bloomberg


Costco Argues Before Supreme Court For Ability to Sell Imported Goods For Less
Did the Issaquah box-store giant go too far by undercutting the manufacturer itself? That was the retailing quandary before the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday in the oral arguments in the copyright feud between Costco and the Swiss watchmaker Omega. 

The Examiner.com thinks Balducci's will return to Manhattan, sooner than later.

Battle between a Duane Reade and a Mom & Pop pharmacy in Williamsburg is growing...

Trader Joe's in Lake Grove (Long Island) will be moving closer to competitor, Whole Foods, into a vacant Toys 'R Us at the Smithhaven Mall plaza, the move will be finished in the coming weeks.

RetailWire: Trader Joe's moves in on Fairway's turf, Upper West Side.

25,00 members of UFCW Local 21 have been voting this week on an offer from four major chains: Safeway, Albertsons, QFC and Fred Meyer. They recently OK'd a Strike.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Friday, October 1, 2010

Afternoon News: Countdown To One Nation, Little Falls ShopRite Helps "Bag" Hunger

Countdown to One Nation
Nearly 200 progressive groups, including the UFCW Local 1500, AFL-CIO, NAACP and many other unions, have come together in One Nation; a multiracial, labor, civil and human rights movement whose mission is to reorder our nation's priorities to invest in our nation's most valuable resource- our people. 


Little Falls ShopRite Helps "Bag" Hunger
Little Falls,NJ-- "ShopRite's commitment to this cause is unwavering, and with everyone's assistance, we can continue to raise awareness of the issue of hunger for the citizens of our community."


P Fresh in Commack North Target on Track
Target will unveil its new supermarket- P Fresh- on Oct. 17th and everything is on schedule with limited complications. 


East Rutherford One Step Closer To A New Supermarket
The Borough Council has amended a zoning ordinance to help the supermarket, Aldi, move to the Liberty Commons mall. 


Plans Of A Farmers Market By Stop & Shop Sparks Controversy
Ossining, NY-- Protests erupted this weekend over plans to build a farmers market in a parking lot adjacent to a Stop & Shop. The proposal to sell fruits and vegetables to locals has divided a town and launched a nationwide discussion about the place of locally grown produce in America.


Target Targets 10 Stores
Target recently notified that it will open 10 new stores across the country, including Flushing, Queens, on October 10th. The stores will help generate more than 2,400 jobs. 


Another Union Vote For Foxwoods Engineers
A trade union seeking to represent employees of Foxwoods Resort Casino's engineering department will pursue an election at the casino for the second time in less than five months- and the third time overall. 


Expansion Ahead For Millville Walmart
Millville, NJ-- Walmart spokesman Bill Wertz said the addition will enable the store to add a full grocery section, including a bakery, deli counter and fresh produce. 


Wal-Mart Names New CFO as Schoewe Plans to Leave
CFO, Tom Schoewe's retirement is the latest in a series of changes in the executive ranks at Wal-Mart, which is trying to turn around sluggish U.S. sales fueled by a tough economy and merchandising problems. 


BJ's Developer Sells Site Days Before Store Opens
Falls Church, VA--The Developer of BJ's Wholesale Club in Seven Corners, has announced that it has sold the property to another developer only days before the retail store is due to open for business. 

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Wednesday News: BJ's Recall,



BJs Wholesale Club Recalls Ground Beef
A ground beef recall due to possible E.coli contamination includes distribution to BJ's Wholesale Club in eight states. Approximately 8,500 pounds of ground beef were recalled. 


BJ's May Close Store
WESTBORO, Mass-- After a more than 20- year presence, BJ's Wholesale Club in Westboro may close next year, when the company opens a bigger store less than 2 miles away. 


Seattle Times: Costco Bans Treatment of Veal Calves
Costco Wholesale decried the treatment of veal calves by a supplier in Ohio, saying the company did not know about it before seeing video taken by the activist group Mercy for Animals. 


Hannaford " Coming Soon" to Lake Placid


Whole Foods Keeps Promise to Buy Locally
"One of our goals is to have the fewest amount of miles between growers and stores- especially our fruits and vegetables"- Michael Sinatra, Whole Foods Market Northeast Public Relations Coordinator 





Friday, August 20, 2010

Friday Morning One Liners: Pathmark, Target & Trader Joe's

Logo used until 2008Image via Wikipedia

SN: Pathmark Dominates A&P's Store Closure List

A&P on Thursday made another senior level executive appointment from OfficeMax, naming Carter Knox senior vice president of human resources and communications.  Here is their official statement.

More @ NorthJersey.com

Poughkeepsie Journal: A&P Sues Stop & Shop
A&P's parent company, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc., is flinging charges that Stop & Shop lies to consumers about having lower prices than A&P. "Stop & Shop is presently engaged in an advertising campaign, involving various of its stores … in which Stop & Shop falsely claims that customers can 'save more every time you shop' at Stop & Shop," lawyers for A&P wrote in the lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court here

A difficult situation for Stop and Shop as they opted out of a project in Massachusetts:
"The town received a letter from them on July 26," Town Planner Kathy Joubert said yesterday. "It does not say why - it simply states they're no longer pursuing building a store at the 77 Main St. address."
The announcement comes as an abrupt end to a five-year drama that saw Stop & Shop go to state Land Court to fight a 2006 Planning Board decision to deny the company's site plan proposal.


AFL-CIO Blog: Glen Beck to the Unemployed: Go Get a Job at McDonalds!

WNYC on The NYC Department of Consumer Affiars 'Supermarket Sweep'

BJ's Cuts Full-Year Forecast

NY1: Protest at Chelsea Trader Joe's
Protesters gathered in front of the new Trader Joe's in Chelsea on Thursday to call attention to the plight of farm workers. They said shoppers should know about the ongoing human rights abuses against farm workers, who they say pick tomatoes sold at the company's stores.

Target Aims at Groceries to Boost 'Soft Sales'

To juice sales, Target is hoping fresh eats and a 5% discount for store credit-card holders will do the trick.
Despite reporting Wednesday that quarterly profits rose a whopping 14% in the previous quarter, the nation's second-biggest discount retailer said sales came in "softer than expected." [Daily News]

And two UFCW Local's are set to merge in the mid-west.“Growing our union, negotiating good contracts and helping workers form and join a union will be the priorities of the new organization,”
Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wednesday News: Target Boycott Goes Way Beyond Minnesota



Target Boycott Goes Way Beyond Minnesota
Tens of thousands of people send emails to the company urging them to rescind the donation of $150,000 to Tom Emmer, an anti-gay GOP politician in Minnesota.


BNet: East Harlem Target Launches With a Food Focus
The Target will offer a selection of produce and fresh meat that's limited but still extensive enough for customers to shop the location as a basic grocery store.


SI LIVE: Trader Joe's May Be Coming to New Springville
"We're pretty sure it's happening," said Cesar Claro, president and CEO of the Staten Island Economic Development Corp.


A&P Launches Rx Reminder Program
A&P Has launched two new services that allow customers to manage their prescriptions, and also can notify them when the prescriptions are ready to be picked up.


Times Union: BPA Toxic Law Signed
New York becomes the seventh state to phase out children's products with the chemical BPA. BPA is detected in 93% of Americans, with younger children having higher levels than adults. 


Walmart Knows Where Your Jeans Are
Walmart began placing removable radio-frequency ID (RFID) tags on jeans and underwear. The retailer claims this will help with inventory and preventing theft, but the move has privacy advocates worried. 


Assessing Wal-Mart's Russian Prospects
Wal-Mart is significantly ramping up overseas expansion efforts to offset slowed growth in its domestic market. 



Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Wednesday Morning One Liners: BJ's Wholesale Club in Ithica...

The Shops at Ithaca MallImage via Wikipedia

Ithica Journal:
BJ's Wholesale Club Proposed in Ithica Mall

The identity of the new big-box tenant of a proposed 82,000-square-foot development at the Shops at Ithaca mall was finally revealed Tuesday night at a Village of Lansing planning board meeting, after months of secrecy: BJ's Wholesale Club.

LA Times: Target Corp. Defends Republican Contributions
Target is under fire for donating to a republican candidate in Minnesota, after two Facebook pages were started calling for a Boycott. As two "Boycott Target" groups sprang up on Facebook on Tuesday, the giant retailer defended its $150,000 donation to a group helping a Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate who opposes same-sex marriage.

WakeupWalmart: Smaller Wal-Mart Still not Ready to Build in Wellsville, N.Y.

AFL-CIO Blog: Report: Unions Must Open Opportunities for Women, Young Workers
The report, “Stepping Up, Stepping Back: Women Talk Union Across Generations,” details frank discussions in March among 30 women invited to a two-day women’s summit in New Orleans...While acknowledging the significant gains for women in the workplace made possible by unions and the growing diversity in the union movement, the report urges unions to do even more to become more open.

Progressive Grocer: Subway Enters More Supermarkets, Mass Retailers in 2010 
Several U.S. supermarkets and big-box retailers welcomed in-store Subway restaurant units during the first half of 2010, according to the popular sandwich chain, which has this year opened over 1,000 new locations, bringing its total international store count to over 9,700 restaurants, with new stores accounting for about 1.4 million square feet of filled commercial retail space.

 




Enhanced by Zemanta

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Thursday News Before Noon: Baltimore Supports Living Wage, Target Set to Open in Harlem Sunday...

United Food and Commercial WorkersImage via Wikipedia

East Harlem gets Big Boxes; Target set to Open Sunday:
After years of flirting with Manhattan, the bull's-eye has landed in East Harlem. Target's first store on the New York island officially opens Sunday — with merchandise tailored to the neighborhood, including Spanish-language greeting cards, multicultural dolls, religious candles and renowned Southern food produced locally. It's a key step in the discounter's push into urban markets to fuel its growth. Read More at the Daily News & NPR also covered the story.

Poll: Baltimore Supports Living Wage:
One day before a City Council subcommittee will meet to consider living-wage legislation governing large employers, a public opinion and strategy firm called Lake Research Partners has released a poll indicating that Baltimoreans support such legislation.

Supermarket News
profiles the First Lady, Michelle Obama, noting her success and drive in Food Policy and expansion of healthy foods across the country.

Young Workers in New Jersey, Across Country, Struggling to Find Work:
Belleville’s Pathmark Supermarket, on Belmont Avenue, reported 40 percent of its spring/summer applicants being adults, versus their average 20 percent adult-applicant rate, before the recession. "Because of layoffs, people are willing to take anything nowadays," said Front-End Manager Kareemah Terr

A judge has thrown out the results of the controversial union vote at Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Supplier:
Last July, Employees at 2 Sisters Food Group last July voted against representation by the United Food and Commercial Workers union by a count of 87-66. The supplier, based in Riverside, Calif., has subsequently been acquired by Fresh & Easy..  The judge found the company guilty of firing a "pro-union" employee and said the company must offer to reinstate Trespalacios to her former job and provide for lost wages and benefits. The union may choose to call for another union vote.  Read more at SN.

More @ The Press Enterprise

BJ's Wholesale Club Hits a New High.

California Retailers Victorious
In what attorneys called a “huge win for retailers in the Golden State,” a California Court of Appeal ruling has preserved the right of retailers to restrict union picketing on their properties.

Shaw's Workers: Back to Work...

Bottom Dollar Food set to open and expand throughout Philadelphia Area.

Wegmans is also opening a new superstore in the Philly Suburbs.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Mon-Tues News: New Chelsea Trader Joe's, PeaPod Expands...

The American-made, union-made boots by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 668 and 717 members at the Weinbrenner Shoe Co., are available online!

TORONTO- Workers at one of Ontario's biggest grocery chains have overwhelmingly voted to give their union authority to call a strike against Loblaw Co. if negotiations don't go well. 

In California and 21 other states today, union members at worksites across the nation are kicking off a nationwide grassroots campaign with a call for creating good American jobs now and backing the candidates that support them. Says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:
"If politicians want the support of working families in November they need to create good jobs here in America now. People aren’t interested in campaign slogans or promises, they want results."

According to a union website, Mott's has asked workers at a union local in Williamson, N.Y., to pay cuts of up to $1.50 per hour, and is trying to take away the workers' pension plan. The 300-odd workers have been on strike since May. 

An official with Local 791 of the United Food and Commercial Workers says workers overwhelmingly voted to accept the new contract on Thursday. 

Another regional director of the National Labor Relations Board has asserted the board's jurisdiction over Foxwoods Resort Casino, directing that a secret-ballot election be conducted among some 375 bartenders and beverage servers eligible to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. 

Marsh Workers Stand Up to Out-of-State Private Equity Firm, Call on Sun Capital to Respect Their Right to Form Union
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 700 today petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for a union election at the Marsh stores in Beech Grove, where the majority of workers have signaled their intention to join a union.

EAST BRIDGEWATER,Mass-- Settlement of the four-month strike affecting Shaw's Methuen, Mass. distribution center could prove to save the plant itself, although some jobs inside the facility could be changing.  

Specialty grocer Trader Joe's opened its newest location Monday in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. Snacks were handed out for those waiting on line to get into the new location at 21st Street and Sixth Avenue. As the ribbon was cut, Trader Joe's faithful made their way into the store to pick up everything from exotic cheeses to wines and basic groceries. Many shoppers woke up extra early to make it to the grand opening. "I live around the corner. I've been waiting months for it to  open,” said one shopper. “I just want to get my shopping done early. I have a lot of food I need to get inside."

FLORHAM PARK, NJ-- Trader Joe's a supermarket known for its eclectic grocery offerings and for the quirky Hawaiian  shirts worn by its employees, is moving its Florham Park store to a larger location a couple hundred yards away.

In an ongoing "Generic Foods Investigation" in the Faster Times Amy Westervelt offers a guide of some of Trader Joe's products, who makes them, what the brand-name is equivalent is, and how much is saved buying the private label over the brand. 

QUINCY,Mass., Peapod by Stop & Shop, the leading online grocer serving New England, New York and New Jersey, continues to expand its home and business delivery service with an addiction of more than 40 new communities. 

Dem and Chronicle-Rochchester: Report on Planned East Avenue Wegmans Gets Public Airing Today

Since Wakefern Food Corp. entered the Maryland market about a year ago with the conversion of seven Klein's Family Markets to its ShopRite banner, it was expected that the country's largest wholesale grocery co-op would aggressively look to expand its retailer base throughout the Baltimore-Washington market. 

For years, Target has teased New Yorkers with suggestions of its imminent arrival, plastering its logo on billboards and opening pop-up shops, but with its first location in Manhattan ready to open on July 25, the omens aren't looking good. 

NEW YORK-- Wal-Mart's Sam's Club chain is teaming up with a lender to offer loans of up to $25,000 to its small business members.

UBS Investment Research said in a research note Friday that some investors may want to exploit the potential of BJ's Wholesale Club as it begins discussions with a private equity firm to improve shareholder value. 

A new industry guide tells retailers and suppliers how to capture and communicate traceability information for these products, which will become much easier with the adoption of the GS1 Databar. 

Only a handful of industry stocks have shown gains i n their share prices in 2010, as the faint glimpses of economic recovery have so far only been a tease and retailers battled to retain customers. 


Translate