Top 13 Stories This Week: Republicans Crush It, Voters Want High-er Wages

FEATURED

Over $100 Million Spent in Midterm Elections by Koch Brothers and Republicans

The most expensive midterm election by far was this week, and it seems to have paid off for the Koch Brothers and Republicans....Even more, they aren't done, the Freedom Partners Action Fund has already plunked down $2.1 million for the Louisiana runoff.

LOCAL FEATURE

Negotiations began with King Kullen last week, and will begin with Stop & Shop next week.

WHAT'S NEWS THIS WEEK 1. NYS Senator Gillibrand sits down with Stephen Colbert for Post Election Interview Hear her reaction to the election, and her plans for New York. 2. Costco, Publix Lead Way: Not Opening on Thanksgiving The two mega retailers are refusing to open on Thanksgiving.

3. Throwback UFCW Ad Surfaces on Facebook Checkout this old advertisement, produced by our President, Bruce Both, & Secretary-Treasurer, Tony Speelman, in the early 90's.

4. Where's the Loot? Special Report Reveals Hundreds of Companies Dodging Taxes thru Luxembourg FedEx, Pepsi, Ikea & hundreds of other companies channel 100s of billions thru Luxembourg to save billions in taxes.

5. Oil Prices are Dropping...So What? The global oil supply has increased and demand has weakened, prices are down to about $80 a barrel, a more than 25 percent drop since June, and recently fell to a three-year low.

6. John Boehner and Mitch McConnell Pledge to Repeal Obamacare. DailyKos: Go For It. Politics Round Up: Oakland Minimum Wage Wins in Land-Slide San Fran Minimum Wage Voted in @ $15 per hour Alaska, DC, Oregon Legalize Marijuana Democrats: Winning Issues, Losing Candidates Supermarket Industry Reacts to Election Voters Favor Higher Wages, Sick Days

7. Four States Vote to Raise the Minimum Wage The wage increase won its biggest margin of victory in Alaska, where it garnered 69 percent of the vote. In Arkansas, it received 65 percent; in Nebraska, 59 percent approved raising the minimum wage, while in South Dakota, the margin was 53 percent.

8. Trumka Calls on Obama for Immediate Action on Immigration Wasting no time after the midterm elections, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka immediately stepped back into the policy arena, calling on President Barack Obama to take executive action on immigration.

9. Fairway Sales Up 5.9%, but Lower Margins

10. San Fran Cab Drivers Officially Join Union...Take Aim @ Uber, Sidecar

A group of San Francisco cabdrivers in mid-August voted to unionize for the first time in decades. Three weeks ago, the alliance passed the 550 paid members requirement and the affiliation ceremony by the National Taxi Workers Alliance took place Monday, enabling members to access union resources when the taxi industry most needs them.

11. Analysts are Up on Whole Foods

12. Delhaize to Sell Bottom Dollar to Aldi

The group announced Thursday in Brussels that it has signed an agreement to sell Bottom Dollar Food's 66 store locations in the greater Philadelphia and greater Pittsburgh markets to Aldi for approximately $15 million.

Related: Market Basket Walkout Boosts Delhaize Sales

13. Local 880 Signs Contract with Giant Eagle, Heinens

Editorials of the Week:

It Shouldn't Take Congress to Raise the Minimum Wage

Why is Congress needed to force corporations to help build our nation?

An L.A. Story: Unions Show a Sign of Life

A profile of Unite Here member: Gabriela Ochoa is a vivacious woman who buses tables at the Landings Restaurant at the Holiday Inn near Los Angeles International Airport, a job she has held since 2001.

Photo of the week via State Dems:

Monday Morning One Liners....A&P to Close 25 Stores...

Image via WikipediaThe stock of Delhaize Group fell more than 11% on Friday after the company reported weak U.S. sales at its Food Lion division in the second quarter.

A&P on Friday said it would close 25 stores as it begins the implementation of its newly announced turnaround plan.A&P officials declined to provide a list of stores slated for closure, although a spokeswoman told SN Friday the closures “include those across our A&P, Waldbaum’s, Pathmark, Super Fresh and Super Foodmart banners.”

More @ Crain's

Here is A&P's official statement [Press Release]

AP: Smithfield, UFCW, Getting along after years of fighting..."Surprisingly, for the 17 years of fighting we had, our relationship is as good as any place with Smithfield that we represent,"

New York Times: The Laborers’ International Union has agreed to rejoin the A.F.L.-C.I.O., increasing hopes for the once-splintered labor movement to reunite under a single umbrella

More @ Politico

Wednesday News after Noon...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The Food Emporium kicked off its second annual "Taste of Australia" event here Friday.

The Blockbuster Express kiosks will be expanded to 35 additional Gristedes stores throughout New York City.

Fairway Market parent company Sterling Investment Partners Thursday said the local food retailer has completed a $114 million debt financing.

As part of its recently revealed reorganization of its American banners’ support operations, Delhaize Group plans to close 15 Food Lion locations and one Bloom store.


Denver: Safeway says it has reached a tentative three-year labor agreement covering about 600 workers represented by Teamsters Local 455.

Investors analyze Supermarkets looking for a fresh start in 2010.

UFCW Local 538 ratifies a new contract with Kraft/Oscar Myer.

Last week UFCW Local 8 began picketing Fresh & Easy stores in California.


Penn Traffic execs to split $1 Million in bonuses.

The Guardian: Walmart: The US retailer taking over the world by stealth; It has beefed up its green credentials, but Wal-Mart's stance on unions and sheer global scale still provoke as much fear as admiration

NJ: Walmart expansion hearing (Upper Deerfield) delayed for a second time.

A Walmart Supercenter has opened in North Bergen County (NJ), Supermarkets prepare for a battle.

"The 217,240-square-foot North Bergen store is designed according to Wal-Mart's new "Project Impact" store prototype, which features farmers'-market-style displays of fruits and vegetables, refrigerated shelves of heat-and-serve prepared foods, and takeout counters for deli dishes and pizzas. The average Wal-Mart supercenter is between 180,000 to 190,000 square feet.
The North Bergen store is stage one of a three-pronged campaign for a share of North Jersey's grocery dollars. A second supermarket, attached to an existing"- Read More.

New York Budget: Update on selling wine in grocery stores; Syracuse.com

Rumors:

Sprint & Walmart teaming up for a nationwide 4G wifi?

A long time rumor circulating in upstate NY is Trader Joe's to the Capital Region [Albany]?  More has surfaced including an email from a reliable source regarding Trader Joe's interest in upstate New York.

Politics:
New York Times, Michael Cooper: GOP Senate Victory Stuns Democrats.

When will Wal-Mart close the Union Shop?, Friday One-Liners...

Image by Getty I

Happy Friday, here's what's in the news12/12/2008

The Island Harvest is holding a few food drives at some Local 1500 stores this weekend.

Lee Scott will address the nation including the economy on Meet the Press Sunday

There has been a call for a state probe in the Black Friday stampede

WakeupWal-Mart is wondering how long it will take for the recently unionized Wal-Mart [Canada] to close.

Delhaize Group said it has named Stefan Descheemaeker as its new chief financial officer, effective Jan. 5.
Read more of this story

BJ's Wholesale Club here on Thursday made it official: Laura Sen will be its next chief executive officer.
Read more of this story

A coalition of food safety, science and consumer groups has urged President-elect Barack Obama to appoint a Secretary of Agriculture "who has had experience with or has been an advocate of the USDA's nutrition, food safety, and conservation programs" and who "has had experience providing leadership to a large and diverse organization."
Read more of this story

Stuart Applebaum released a statement regarding the idea of Caroline Kennedy taking Hillary's vacant Senate seat.

Applebaum also released a statement responding to a Labor Department report that the number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits has soared to 4.43 million.

Christine Quinn announced, No rebate checks for Christmas

Betsy Gotbaum is meeting with her potential successors.

BJ's in Red Hook and more top news....

Image via Wikipedia

Plans to bring BJ’s Wholesale Club, potentially the second big box retailer in Red Hook, sent a shiver of excitement and mild horror through the neighborhood this week.

 Worsening product price inflation -- with many food products exceeding 5% cost increases -- is making for a "painful" environment for A&P and its shoppers, Christian Haub, executive chairman of the Montvale, N.J.-based retailer, said in remarks at the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference on Wednesday.
Read more of this story

 

Delhaize Group here on Wednesday released its first "Corporate Responsibility Report," highlighting the retailer's accomplishments in areas such as the environment and health and wellness.
Read more of this story

 

Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, Ark., said yesterday it has established a new regional headquarters for Asia here to oversee its operations in China, India and Japan and to identify new business opportunities throughout Asia.
Read more of this story

 

Wal-Mart unveiled a new Smart Network in-store TV system on Wednesday that it said will function as the first "shopper-intelligent network at retail.

Boeing Co.'s largest labor union voted to strike Wednesday night, but the union agreed to postpone a walkout for 48 hours after federal mediators urged both sides to return to the bargaining table in a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement.

Political

On the second consecutive night, a lot of the rhetoric at the Republican convention Wednesday evening seemed left over from the last cycle when the fight against terrorism dominated the race.

Friday Morning One Liners....

Image via Wikipedia

A&P here went 1-for-3 in battles over website domain names for its Food Emporium banner, winning a judgment against the registrant of foodemporium.org, but losing similar arguments against the registrants of foodemporium.com and foodemporium.net, according to the National Arbitration Forum.
Read more of this story

 

A recent Whole Foods surveys concluded "Quality Trumps Price for Most Shoppers"

BJ's is opening a store in Red Hook....Brooklyn Papers.

More on Red Hook's new love for Big Box.

Ahold here said yesterday that a reluctance to pass along cost increases to customers contributed to a decline in profitability at the company, which operates the Stop & Shop, Giant of Landover and Giant of Carlisle chains in the U.S.
Read more of this story

 

Delhaize Group here said yesterday that its chief financial officer, Craig Owens, will leave the company to become the CFO and chief administrative officer for Campbell Soup Co., Camden, N.J., effective Sept. 30.
Read more of this story

 

Newsday Blog talks about the new Grace's in L.I.

A charge of unfair labor practice has been filed against the Covidien plant in Hobart regarding the termination of two employees, a union official said Wednesday.William Palmer and Daniel Whiteman were allegedly fired for a workplace safety violation, but Palmer said Wednesday he believes he was fired because he was backing the organization of a union at the plant.

Wal-Mart

Marketside, Walmart's (WMT) New Small Store Chain, Spotted Out In The Wild [ClusterStock]
It's everything Walmart isn't. A chain of smaller, friendlier stores with a neighborhood quality--providing fresh and prepared foods for higher prices.

Wal-Mart Prepares Residents for Gustav

Walmart has developed a game plan to transform more than 1,700 of its Garden Centers into "Game Time Headquarters," the company said Thursday. The customized areas will target supporters of local college and professional football teams. Beginning this week and running through Sept. 30, the Bentonville, Ark. giant will feature everything for football season, from team merchandise and decor to snacks and beverages

Political

Obama: I'm ready to beat McCain

Daily News (John Lauinger): Willets Pt. summit stirs new city & biz negotiation
A new round of talks is shaping up between the city and some of the largest businesses at Willets Point after State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) helped kick-start stalled negotiations, the Daily News has learned.

DAVE: HOW 'BOUT ANDY FOR MAYOR, NOT GOV?
Andrew Cuomo would be the "instant favorite" if he enters what is expected to be a crowded field for mayor next year, Gov. Paterson said yesterday.

Enjoy your weekend