Tentative Agreement Reached with D'Agostino Supermarket

Tentative deal would cover nearly 1,000 New Yorkers throughout 13 locations 

This week the D'Agostino negotiating committee reached a new tentative agreement with D'Agostino Supermarket. The new contract will be voted on by D'Agostino workers on April 30, 2015 at two locations throughout the New York metro area.

"We're optimistic this tentative agreement will secure a good future for all our members working at D'Agostino," said lead union negotiator Terry Quiñones. UFCW Local 1500 represents nearly 1,000 men and women working at D'Agostino Supermarkets.

The previous agreement between UFCW Local 1500 and D'Agostino Supermarket expired in March of 2014. Since then, the company and union have agreed to be on monthly contract extensions.

Voting Locations:  April 30th 8 am- 8 pm

D'Agostino Store #5: 142 South Ridge Street, Rye Brook, NY 10573
Holiday Inn: 440 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

Friday Morning One Liners: Gristedes Makes a Push toward Food Emporium, Beef with Wal-Mart why not Target?

Castimatidis: “it's no secret that we have interest in [Food Emporium].”
According to a report from Crain's John Castimatidis, owner of Gristedes is apparently the front runner and highest bidder in the Food Emporium fire sale.

The Crain's article also comments on D'Agostino's struggles:

Separately, family-owned D'Agostino's grocery-store chain is selling its only three stores in Westchester, according to a company insider. Those stores, located in Chappaqua, Rye Brook and Cross River, have struggled against competitors like Whole Foods, Super Stop & Shop and others, said supermarket consultant Burt Flickinger.

Very interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal: In the Cities That Battle Wal-Mart, Target gets a Welcome.

The Gawker looks at what Wal-Mart would mean for New York.

A&P is shuttering stores today in Yorktown, NY, two others  in the Philadelphia area (Pathmark in Broomall, PA loses108 jobs lost & a SuperFresh in Hatfield, PA), another Pathmark in Millville, NJ where Wal-Mart has actually proposed to a 40,000 sqft store w/ grocery to fill the vacant space.

Some good news though, the UFCW Canada's victory at Saskatchewan Wal-Mart was upheld, unanimously, in court yesterday.



The Grand Opening and celebration party for the new Rockaway Stop & Shop is slated for October 21.

The Windsor Star: Strike continues to loom in second local Loblaw vote

Other Bargaining News:
Unionized workers at Walt Disney World voted against a proposed labor contract Thursday, despite the largest of the resort's unions coming out in support of the contract before the vote.


And in Politics Frank Padavan, out raises and is out spending Tony Avella.

Tuesday Morning One Liners: Fresh Direct Won't Cross a 32BJ Picket Line, D'Agostino's New Ad Campaign

Progressive Grocer: Tackling Obesity; A Blueprint for Sucess. 
For the first time, government, the food and beverage industry, parents, and other stakeholders  share the same goal in tackling Obesity.

Stop & Shop Promotes their Green ways, gives away a Hybrid:
As a way to mark Earth Day this week, Stop & Shop is drawing attention to such company-wide green initiatives as the incorporation of sustainable product on shelves, the implementation of energy-efficient lighting in stores and a policy of encouraging customers to use reusable bags. Additionally, this month, the Ahold USA division plans to give away two Honda Insight Hybrids.

The NY Times looks at D'Agostino's new witty, creative advertising campaign: "Managers Gone Wild!"
The specials, on groceries, meat, poultry, produce and baked goods, are peddled with one-liners not often found in the stodgy world of supermarket marketing.
“Somebody slap me, please,” Bob Fonti, the meat manager, says about a sale on Shady Brook ground turkey.
The produce manager, John Vasapoli, declares: “I’ve gone mad! Mad, I tell you!” in pricing broccoli.
You can check out the TV spot here.

Crain's checks out a Park Slope Food Coop that is 'running up more profits and members than it knows what to do with'

New York Times looks at buying in bulk in NYC a look at Costco in Manhattan: 30 Pack of Charmin, but Where to Store It?
When Costco opened its first Manhattan outpost last November, in a soaring East 116th Street shopping complex with river views, management did not know precisely who or what to expect: Would customers stream in from East Harlem and Washington Heights? Or would the aisles be flooded with Upper West Siders stocking up on San Pellegrino? How much demand would there be for kosher meat? Costcos nationwide sell some 57 million rolls of Charmin per month: would people living in cramped apartments go for those 30-roll packages?

Retailwire: Costco's Manhattan Project (Free Subscription Required)

The Journal News: Fairway's Grand Opening in Pelham Manor

The Westchester Magazine checks out Fairway's Grand Opening in Pelham Manor

The Bronx News has great photos of the grand opening

32BJ Contract

"We are ready to walk out if we need to. We all have families to support and rents to pay."
- Santiago Gonzalez, a doorman on the upper East Side and SEIU 32BJ strike captain, in today's Daily News.


Fresh Direct Won't Cross 32BJ Picket Line: Fresh Direct will refuse to enter buildings whose doormen are on strike. The unionized drivers of Local 348S want to show solidarity with building workers, and will make anyone who orders groceries to those buildings meet them on the street and carry the boxes themselves. Union leader Eduardo Cordero said “We will not be putting our members in any kind of danger or any situation that would provoke trouble... At the same time, the company still has to provide a service."


NY Times: If Doormen Strike, Residents must pick up the Slack

Business Week: NY Doorman Strike May Trash Men of Luxury Residents

Politics
NY Post: Gillibrand can't crack the 50% barrier

Voters in Washington could see an initiative this year to break up the state government monopoly on liquor sales [NY Times]

Elsewhere
And finally, Danny Glover a great friend to the UFCW and Labor, was arrested in a food protest.

Thursday Morning One Liners...

Image via Wikipedia

Change to Win and AFL-CIO have united to create a coordinating committee.

D'Agostino to attend New York Food Chain Summit...The summit aims to bring together farmers and agricultural experts to plan a supply cahin from western NY farms to the NYC market.

Retailer Penn Traffic here will close two stores early next month, a company spokesman told SN Monday.
Read more of this story

Governor Patterson expected to OK red light cameras in Long Island.

Atlantic City press asks what would another Wal-Mart do in N.J.?

Bloomberg spends $3 Million on TV ads.

Coney Islands 'marketplace' is unveiled.

Layoffs of 8,700 state employees are set to begin in July.

That excludes non-unionized managers, who acquiesced to concessions.

Union bosses say this will put lives at risk.

Proposed Wal-Mart in East Patchogue, BJ's to Brooklyn, Monday Morning One Liners...

Protestors slam the proposed East Patchogue Wal-Mart. [Newsday] More information head to the coalition website www.walmartli.org.

There will be a hearing on a proposed Stop and Shop in Hyde Park on Wednesday .Stop & Shop plans to move from its location at the corner of Route 9 and St. Andrews Road into a new building in the mall where the former Ames building is located on Route 9.

In an effort to acknowledge vendors and/or manufacturers for providing outstanding quality, professionalism and exceptional customer service, D’Agostino Supermarkets, Inc. has created the D’Agostino MVP-Most Valuable Partner Award.

BJ's Wholesale Club will anchor a plaza in Canarsie, Brooklyn.

Steve Forbes will be interviewing John Casimatidis this week.

Safeway workers across Manitoba voted 83% in favor of their new contract yesterday.

Politicos

Labor-Backed Contract Rules are renewed and advanced. [WSJ]

Peter King revokes his support of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Coney Island Zoning update.

NYC Mayoral race update, who will the Dems back?

President Obama pushes "Food Safety"

David Patterson's top policy advisor steps down.

Widen the wine sales? [Newsday]

Wal-Mart manufactures American Flag pins in China, Patterson's wine sale proposal, Interview with BJ's Wholesale Club's new CEO, more one liners....

Image via Wikipedia
Wal-Mart awarded a manufacturing job to create American Flag pins to China, over an American company.

D'Agostino customers purchased over 9,000 food bundles this holiday season to feed the needy.

Here's an interview with the new CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club, Laura Sen.

Supermarket News has a piece on preparing Supermarkets for 2009.

Negotiations between Loblaw Cos. and the union representing workers at Maxi stores in Quebec resumed over the weekend as the strike affecting 14 stores continued.
Read more of this story

New York will join 35 other states that permit wine to be sold in multiple grocery stores if one of the revenue actions in the Empire State’s 2009 budget proposal is approved.
Read more of this story

A new proposal by Patterson could also boost wine sales in grocery stores.

More on the wine sales at the Progressive Grocer.


Politics

David Paterson plans a state work force reduction of about 3,000, but will suggest that layoffs can be averted if unions agree to givebacks

The governor yesterday signed a bill that would, at least in theory, provide for the collection of taxes on cigarettes sold from the state's Indian reservations.

Patterson has an Op-Ed in the NY Daily News explaining the budget cuts and new taxes.

Bloomberg calls Patterson's budget cuts in NYC "unfair".

Hillary Clinton tells supporters to back off on criticisms on Caroline Kennedy.

Tuesday Morning One Liners...

D'Agostino Supermarkets President and Chief Operating Officer Nicholas D'Agostino III was recently named chairman of the Food Industry Alliance of New York State here.
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Aldi here on Monday opened the doors to a store in East Syracuse, N.Y., that showcases the chain’s new marketing and environmental approaches, a report said yesterday.
Read more of this story

A State Supreme Court judge in Suffolk Monday invalidated a controversial worker status law that required Suffolk County's 17,000 licensed contractors to prove their employees are not undocumented immigrants.

Talk Bronx, has covered the loss of the supermarket throughout NYC.

Here's more on the UAW withdrawing at Foxwoods.

Dayton, Ohio: As part of its “Eat Local” promotion, Dorothy Lane Market has launched a monthly local food “challenge” and gift card giveaway.
Read more of this story

Politics and What not...

John Tasini comments on SEIU's "Call Centers"

New York State's excise tax on cigarettes becomes the highest in the nation today, when it increases by $1.25 a pack - to $2.75....City Smokers Prepare for New State Tax

The Republican presence in the City Council could be whittled down to two members as voters go to the polls today in Queens to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Council Member Dennis Gallagher

Starrett City residents were assured their rents would stay 'affordable' yesterday