Monday Morning One Liners...

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Kristen Gillibrand was on Long Island this week with Tom Suozzi, she acknowledged King Kullen for buying local products.

UFCW Local 7 files a complaint against their grocery stores.

Progressive Grocer reports they may strike soon.

Politicians are urging Costco to accept food stamps.

NY Times (Nicholas Confessore): Paterson's Order Will Help Unions Trying to Organize

Gov. David A. Paterson has issued an order making it easier for labor unions to organize thousands of workers at some of New York's largest new hotel and convention center projects, including hotels in Niagara Falls and at the Belmont Park racetrack in Nassau County and the expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. The directive, which was signed on April 24 and issued on Friday, will require the operators of projects that receive assistance like loans, tax breaks or property leases from state agencies or public authorities to obtain "labor peace" agreements with unions seeking to organize their workers. Under the agreements, workers would pledge not to strike, boycott or engage in other actions that would disrupt business or deprive the state of revenues.

C&S Wholesale Grocers was the winning bidder in last week’s auction of Bruno’s stores, agreeing to purchase all 56 locations from the retailer it supplies for $48.5 million.

Price Chopper, among a three grocers receiving technology awards this year.

Wal-Mart drops to number 2 on Forbes 500.

Laura Sen, the CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club gives her budget tips in a tough economy.

Politics

Bill Thompson accuses Mike Bloomberg of ducking debates.

GOP announces a candidate to take on Suozzi (Long Island)

Friday's One Liners...

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Wild by Nature was recognized for entire approach of sustainability and energy efficiency.

Forbes.com looks at the innovation of Michael Cullen in 1930 in the supermarket industry.

The Nation looks at labor, and all the hats it wears.

Pathmark hosts a saving promotion.

Workers for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, came to the Capitol in Washington today to urge passage of legislation that would make it easier for them to form a union.

Check out more about yesterday's events here.

A Wal-Mart in Minnesota takes steps toward organizing.

Bruno's gets an extension on Final Sale hearing.

And merchants in the city-owned mall beneath the Manhattan Bridge, at 88 East Broadway, have alleged that they are being extorted by the mall's managers, who they say have demanded cash in exchange for leases and lease extensions.

Colorado Updates

King Soopers Inc. and Safeway Inc. will begin advertising Friday to hire replacement workers should unionized workers go on strike after their contract expires May 9.

Safeway Meat workers OK'd a strike.

The CBS affiliate looks at possibilities of a strike.

The Denver Post makes it clear that the companies are ready for temp-job applications.

Business Journal has more on strike preparations.

POLITICO

NY Times sums up the Mayoral Endorsements.

Andrew Lanza is putting finishing touches on a bill to secede Staten Island from New York City.

What does the Specter switch mean for Employee Free Choice?

Related articles by Zemanta

• Nan Aron: The Price of Freedom at Walmart (huffingtonpost.com)

BJ's inks a deal in Flushing, Bye Bye Bye to Balducci's, Miami Wal-Mart may organize soon, Tuesday Morning One Liners...

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BJ's Wholesale Club inks another lease in the NYC Metro area.

BJ's to take 170,000 sqft in Canarsie, Brooklyn.

An 89 year old widow is suing BJ's Wholesale Club in an age biased firing.

Balducci's

Village Voice: Bye Bye Balducci's

New York Times: A quiet exit for Balducci's

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge here yesterday declined to void the labor contract that Bruno's Supermarkets has with its employees as the company prepares itself for auction this week.
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The end of Bruno's Supermarkets, LLC in its present form could begin as early as this week as a bankruptcy court auction scheduled for Wednesday gets under way, according to a published account. The auction is expected to result in some stores being sold off and others shuttered.

A&P establishes a new age policy for purchasing alcohol and tobacco.

A California UFCW Local may be absorbed by 2 others.

UFCW Local 371 approved a contract with A&P.

More detailed look at the newly approved contract from the Advocate.

King Soopers and Safeway have agreed tentatively with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local No. 7 to include more preventative health care in the new contract.

Costco last week agreed to settle a lawsuit over the sale of "hot gasoline,” -- gasoline above 60 degrees Fahrenheit that expands but is not accounted for at the pumps, resulting in consumers receiving less gasoline than they pay for.

Miami may be the first Wal-Mart to unionize in the United States.

Walmart Workers for Change, a new campaign claiming to represent thousands of the Bentonville, Ark.-based mega-retailer’s 1.3 million associates across the United States, the campaign has employees in over 100 stores in 15 states who have signed union representation cards, alleging a lack of respect from the company, in addition to low wages and inadequate benefits as reasons to become unionized.

Check their new video here.

Chicago's Wal-Mart super-center is now back on the table.

Bashas' plans to cut under performing stores.

The Fresh Market will expand to Philly.

Trader Joe's will open a new NJ store this summer.

A new Sam's Club will be opening in Edison N.J.

Fresh Direct responds to the anti-idling law.

Ruben Diaz Jr. is officially a borough president.

Wal-Mart workers get a union contract in Canada, Balducci's gets a buyer, BJ's accepting Food Stamps, Thursday Morning One Liners...

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Industry

Wal-Mart gets a union contract in Canada. More from Supermarket News.

An investor group buys Balducci's remaining stores.

Update on UFCW Colorado negotations.

Stop & Shop Hampton Bays opens doors tomorrow (Friday).

Fairway in Paramus donated food to families in need during Easter.

UFCW 1500 files charges against Pathmark [Supermarket News]

Sedano’s Supermarkets (Miami) on Wednesday said it would begin making a $30 monthly gift card donation to all of its hourly employees.

Judge OK's Bruno's decision.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court yesterday ordered Bruno’s Supermarkets to auction itself next week.
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Island Park getting a King Kullen.

Stop & Shop announces appointments to their leadership team.

A look at the correlation between Big Box stores and Crime.

BJ's Wholesale Club will begin accepting Food Stamps at all 180 locations.

They're also exploring expansion into Pittsburgh.

Politics

Long Island Business News: Albany needs to back local produce.

Bridgeport Connecticut needs and wants a grocery store.

Mitt Romney slams binding arbitration.

Former Governor Spitzer won't run in 2010.

Brookhaven Politics update: As a brand-new supervisor with a town board majority of the opposite party, Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko has to find a way to work with the Republicans...His first move, appointing Republican Councilwoman Kathleen Walsh as his deputy supervisor, is a bold opening gambit. If it works out, it's bipartisanship in action, not just in words.

The AFL-CIO and Change to Win (CtW) announced a historic joint unity framework for immigration reform. The joint announcement and proposal is a critical sign of support for the Obama administration and Congress to address immigration reform and to ensure that the issue remains a priority. It also signals that immigration reform is an important part of economic recovery. Read the entire blog here.[AFL Blog]

Happy Friday Morning One Liners...

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Costco invades Harlem.

Toys 'R' Us is exploring groceries?

They're also promoting low price items in their stores.

Balducci's is closing a store...It's one of four closings the company will make by June of this year.

UFCW Local 555 files an unfair labor practice against Kroger.

Bruno's is asking federal bankruptcy judge to change their union contract in order to aid the sale of the company.

Jim Donald, former CEO of Starbucks and Pathmark gives some tips for tough times.

Brooklyn's Pomegrante is highlighted in Supermarket News for their Passover specialties.

Wage and Hour Watchers in New York City.

When a workers salary is lighter...

NY Times (Michael Barbaro): Grocery Workers to Back Bloomberg, Slighting Democratic Rival

In the first labor endorsement of the mayor's race, the union representing 12,000 of the city's supermarket workers will back Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for re-election....

Bruno's to close 38 stores, UFCW Local Authorizes strike, Manhattan gets a Costco...

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Bankrupt Bruno’s Supermarkets Inc. has informed the state that 38 of its 60 Alabama stores may close by mid May, affecting nearly 2,200 employees.

UFCW Local 371 has authorized a strike at 15 A&P locations.

Two UFCW locals have merged into UFCW Local 75.

Looks like Manhattan will be graced with its first Costco.

Reeling from the real estate downturn in the city, construction unions and builders are edging closer to an agreement that they say will reduce labor costs and enable at least some of their projects in Manhattan to proceed despite the weak economy.

Younger shoppers use more online coupons.

NJ Star Ledger: the Employee Free Choice Act, backbone for a strong economy.

Labor leader Denis Rivera praised Mike Bloomberg.

The Daily News looks at Local 1500's early endorsements for the New York City Council.

Bigger Better Bottle Bill is in the new state budget.

Wednesday Morning One Liners...

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Members of United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 1099 and 911 are pursuing a merger to create a new group, UFCW Local 75, which would be one of the five largest UFCW unions in the country, reports said Tuesday.
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Crain's expands on another BJ's coming to Brooklyn.

Another employer stiffing employees on overtime in Manhattan.

A 20-year-old Mohegan Lake man has been awarded nearly $1 million in damages after his left hand was crushed by a freight elevator door at an Eastchester Stop & Shop where he was stocking shelves.

Stop & Shop is planning an 'affordable food summit'

Thin-crust pizza, fat-free caramel swirl ice cream and organic cage-free eggs are some of the more than 80 new Great Value products slated to hit Wal-Mart's shelves this month.
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A rash of competitive openings from non-union operators — particularly Publix — has been sinking sales at Bruno's Supermarkets, Bruno's officials revealed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court here.
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Sears Holdings here last week said it would close another 24 locations — about half of them Kmart stores — by the end of May, following the previously announced closure of 28 locations last year.
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Foxwoods employees are petitioning for a union vote with the UFCW.

Is Wal-Mart lending muscle to fight for Health Care reform?

It's time to pass Employee Free Choice, Bashas' to close stores, Friday Morning News

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Employee Free Choice, on Tuesday over one million signatures were handed to congress on a petition urging congress to sign EFCA.

Workers to Congress: "It's time to pass Employee Free Choice"

Union leaders brought hundreds of their rank-and-file members and petitions that they said held 1.5 million signatures to Capitol Hill for a rally in support of the Employee Free Choice Act, escalating an already intense fight over the controversial bill. [Associated Press]

CNN: Struggle between workers and business

Elsewhere

Local businesses "Supermarket wine sales will sink us."

The first sales tax check for 2009 came in Thursday and it showed Nassau County was starting the year the same way it closed out last year -- on a downward spiral.

Jobs for immigrants in Long Island are scarce.

Western Union has signed a five-year renewal agreement with The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. to extend money transfer, money order and bill payment services throughout the majority of the grocer's stores.

Bashas' in Arizona is planning to close five locations, including its prototype Ike's Farmers Market near Tuscon, the company's president told SN.
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Bruno's Supermarkets, LLC, owner and operator of the Bruno's and Food World supermarket banners, has filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S.

Calorie disclosures on menus are affecting New York City restaurant-goers' choices and which restaurants they choose to visit, a new study shows.
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Ending a three-month recount process, Jim Gennaro finally conceded to incumbent state senator Frank Padavan.