Employees and Union Slam CBS over “Targeted” Rejection of Times Square Super Screen Advertisement

“Employees and Grocery Workers Union Slam CBS over “Targeted” Rejection of Times Square Super Screen Advertisement, Questions Raised over Possible Connection to Union Election” 

Employees from a Target Store located in Valley Stream, New York and the State’s largest Union representing grocery workers are slamming CBS for its rejection of a paid advertisement questioning Target's work place practices. The rejection of the advertisement is especially questionable since it was a representative of CBS that initially contacted with the Union and suggested using the CBS “Super Screen” located in Times Square. The rejected ad can be seen in its entirety at http://targetchangeny.com.

"Get Change"

Tashawna Green, a Valley Stream employee, was shocked that CBS, the network that has employed such First Amendment defenders such as Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, would reject the employees' message. “All we want to do is get our message out to the public that Target Stores does not treat us right and we would like to see change come to our workplace. They let politicians run ads trashing each other all the time, but when the average citizen needs a public forum, they shut us down. I guess Target's money is more important to CBS that letting the voice of their loyal viewers be heard,” Green concluded. Patrick Purcell, a spokesperson for United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, was shocked by the sudden turnaround by CBS. “They contacted us, not vice versa. They did so after seeing the press reports about Target workers participating in the first federally monitored Union election at a Target store.

Our message content was made clear from day one. It is outrageous and immoral for them to now reject the advertisement,” Purcell stated. “The aisles at Target and the halls of CBS both stink tonight with the smell of censorship.” Purcell suggested this action is in line with Target's campaign at the store to minimize voter education and deny equal access to information. “This action by CBS produces the same result indirectly that Target Stores directly seeks as workers from around the New York area mobilize for change: silence the workers' voice,” Purcell said. “Their campaign has been one of denying workers equal access to information, forced employee captive audience meetings and threats of job loss. These actions, by both CBS and Target, crystallize why Americans are disgusted by irresponsible corporations that pray at the altar of profits. This matter is far from over,” Purcell promised.

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Follow the campaign to change Target on Twitter @TargetChange and at Facebook.com/targetchange.
Send the workers from Target in Valley Stream a letter of support by emailing targetchangeny@gmail.com.

 

A Message to all Employers with CBA's w/ UFCW Locals representing A&P Stores...

Image via WikipediaA letter to all employers with Collective Bargaining Agreements with UFCW Locals 100R, 152, 338*, 342, 464A, 1245 & 1500 went out yesterday, April 20, 2011

The letter serves notice to all employers whose contracts are coming due in the near future saying, "we will, as always consider the needs of each employer individually, based upon their particular circumstances...We will not allow any employer, regardless of size, to attempt to take advantage of another employer's unfortunate circumstances.  We will not be divided on this, and stand ready with our sister UFCW and RWDSU Locals and their members..."

You can read the entire letter here: http://ufcw1500.org/files/shared/Letter_4.21.pdf

Please contact us for any questions or comments, info@ufcw1500.org or by phone 800.522.0456.

Friday Morning One-Liners:

A&P will next week ask a bankruptcy judge to approve $1.76 million in payments to four of its top executives, part of a $6.8 million "key employee retention plan" that covers 146 non-union employees.  Read more @ WSJ.

NY Times: U.S. Economy adds 192,00 Jobs, Rate Falls to 8.9&

The nation’s employers added 192,000 jobs in February, after having added just 63,000 the previous month.  Find the latest statistics here.

Yesterday, Creditors, Unions (UFCW), Trustee Objected to A&P's Bonus Plan.  Calling the plan a "band-aid" retention plan.

More @WSJ: A&P will next week ask a bankruptcy judge to approve $1.76 million in payments to four of its top executives, part of a $6.8 million "key employee retention plan" that covers 146 non-union employees. 

Three days until California contracts expire covering 62,000 UFCW grocery workers. More @PressEnterprise.

Ahold's Q4 summary shows "solid" numbers.

Ahold, Looking for Growth: “We're actively looking for growth opportunities where we see a strategic fit, the price is right, and we can integrate smoothly,” Dick Boer, chief executive officer of Ahold, from today's Supermarket News.

Major LGBT groups say NO to Walmart in NYC.

John Castimatidis (CEO of Gristedes) joined Neil Cavuto to discuss rising inflation.

Target will pay $22.5M for illegally dumping Toxic Waste out in California.

NYPIRG has 2010's top lobbyist clients, 2010 broke records on $$ spent, with Beverage and Teachers topping the list.

#Wisconsin

Scott Walker, Governor of Wisconsin, says he will start issuing layoff warnings to public sector unions representing 1,500 employees on Friday, if his bill remained in limbo.  Read more @NYTimes

Walker's Budget extends attacks on Seniors, Children & Poor.

AFL-CIO Blog: Killing Workplace Rights is Un-American.  

Must Watch: Watch Congressman George Miller's speech on the floor: Attack on Middle-Class American's.

Must Read: The New Yorker, Union Blues. & Richard Trumka's Op-Ed in WSJ: Scott Walker's False Choice

Half of Wisconsin's workers want to recall Walker.

Tuesday Morning One Liners...

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UFCW Local 1360 has reportedly reached an agreement with Acme late last night, averting a strike.

A 'Prevailing Wage bill' will be brought to the floor of the Pittsburgh City Council.

A&P's stock (GAP) has been on a complete surge lately, up 100% since September and investors continue to buy.

Pathmark signed a 20-year lease in Jersey for a 50,000 square foot store that will open by Thanksgiving 2010.

New York Tims: Price War Brews between Wal-Mart and Amazon.
In what is emerging as one of the main story lines of the 2009 post-recession shopping season, the two heavyweight retailers are waging an online price war that is spreading through product areas like books, movies, toys and electronics.

The Post Standard in Syracuse says"whoever buys Penn Traffic better be ready for a tough battle" The expansion of Walmart “superstores” and discounters like Aldi in the area makes it even harder for a new kid on the block to stay out of the red. So, too, does the overall decline in family income and population in the region.

This comes after Aldi announced another store opening in the Rochchester region.

The nation's leading meat processor and the country's largest union representing meatpacking and food processing workers (UFCW) have just completed the twentieth year of a workplace ergonomics program that is making meat processing jobs safer. [Press Release]

Whole Foods is disciplining their employees for Facebook posts.

NYC Food and Climate Summit, December 12, 2009, hosted by New York University, Just Food, and the President of the Borough of Manhattan.  Clean food is a right for all, and more and more, it’s an imperative for our planet. Check out more here.

The number of people seeking emergency food assistance in the city jumped 20.9% over last year, according to a new study from New York City Coalition Against Hunger.

NY Observer: Mom and Pop go to City Hall.
On Friday, Nov. 20, Councilman Robert Jackson was exasperated.  The Harlem Democrat had put in a call to the chair of the Council’s Small Business Committee, David Yassky, asking for a vote on the Small Business Survival Act, a bill of Mr. Jackson’s that would regulate commercial rents

The city also plans to re-zone the far west village.

SUMMIT ON GROCERY STORES AND GOOD JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY

In the midst of one of the worst recessions in American history, community groups, local political leaders and academics will consider the role of grocery stores as both retailers and employers.

Recent research suggests that the retail sector will generate thousands of new jobs as the economy recovers…

What does that mean for the Upper East Side?

How will these jobs impact our local economy?

What should we expect from grocers-as-employers?

Hear from experts on the economy, community leaders, and grocery workers as they participate in a roundtable discussion of the Upper East Side’s future in retail.

We hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, October 28, for a roundtable discussion of the issues faced by grocery store employees and grocers-as-employers. You’ll hear from major local employers, grocery store workers, policy experts, and community leaders, as they discuss the ways in which successful grocery businesses can also be community-leading employers. An open discussion will follow the roundtable.

Check out the flier or print the flier here: http://www.buildingblocksproject.org/files/media/thank-you/GG_Summit_Turnout_StorefrontFlyer.pdf

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

Pat Purcell on Democracy Now

This morning, Pat Purcell, Local 1500's Director of Special Projects, joined Democracy Now for a discussion on Wal-Mart's irresponsible actions and lack of precautions leading up to Black Friday. Wal-Mart had little or no security and mainly relied on local police to control outlandish crowds. Our sincere deepest sympathies go out to the The result, an employee's death.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/12/1/wal_mart_worker_crushed_to_death

The Employee Free Choice Act

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For decades workers attempting to unionize have played on an uneven playing field.  The Employee Free Choice Act will level this playing field.  

The Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800, S. 1041), supported by a bipartisan coalition in Congress, would enable working people to bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions by restoring workers’ freedom to choose for themselves whether to join a union. It would:

• Establish stronger penalties for violation of employee rights when workers seek to form a union and during first-contract negotiations.
• Provide mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes (PDF).
• Allow employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation.

The Employee Free Choice Act can help reclaim the American Dream by restoring workers' freedom to form unions and bargain for a better life. Our goal is to gather signatures in support of this bill-1 million voices calling for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. But 1 million people is a lot of people. We won't reach our goal without your help and the help of your friends and family.

Please support this bill and help us reach our goal of 1 million signatures—sign the petition today by following this link.