Top 10 Stories This Week!

Northwestern University Football Players Given Right to Form a Union 

This monumental ruling could potentially change the $16 billion dollar NCAA college sports industry. Universities and the NCAA couldn't be more furious about giving rights to players they've been profiting off of for decades.  Read more.  And if you're still unconvinced that College Athletes need unions, here's 8 reasons why.

WHAT'S NEWS THIS WEEK   2. GOP Senators put Unemployement Aid Pressure on John Boehner

3. Former A&P Exec. Pleads Guilty to Fraud  Later in the week, A&P admitted they tipped investigators off.  Last week the company named a new President.

4. Instacart is now in NYC A service that hires "freelance" delivery persons to shop at your favorite supermarkets, and deliver them straight to your door.

5. US Senate Report: Target Missed Warning Signs Prior to Massive Data Breach

6. Triangle Shirtwaist Fire's 103rd Anniversary  A major turning point in U.S. labor history after 146 immigrant garment workers perished after being locked inside a building when a fire broke out at their job.  This emotional day is commemerated each year in New York City, and after last year's horrific factory fire/collapses in Bangladesh, the lessons or workplace safety still need to be taught. Professor Peter Drier asks, Have we Forgot the Lessons from the Fire?

7. Hobby Lobby Case "challenges" "Obamacare" A For-Profit company craft store is asking the Supreme Court to recognize them with the same religious freedoms as a Church or individual. Are corporations people, yet?  John Stewart gives his take.

8. Fresh Market's Original CEO is leaving the Board

9. UFCW President Hansen Urges Support on Immigration Reform

10. Huge thanks to all who came out and donated at our bi-annual Blood Drive this week!

Top 11 Industry Stories This Week!

— TOP 11 INDUSTRY/LABOR NEWS ARTICLES FROM THIS WEEK — 1.  Rumors: Yucaipa is said to be mulling the purchase of the Fresh & Easy chain. 2. The Senate passed the Farm Bill this week...Here's what's in it, and here's how your Senators voted. 3. Labor Speech Ruling in California: The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it will not review a case involving the constitutionality of labor-related speech by UFCW Local 8 on private property in California. 4.  The Fresh Market cites success in their California expansion. 5.  No Purchase Necessary: A&P has settled a charge it violated NYS laws conducting a sweepstakes promotion earlier this year, in March.   6.  Ford & the UAW are negoitating a new "wellness" program, where workers will get paid more if they meet certain wellness goals. 7.  Could NYC have 4 Casinos in 7 Years? See what Gov. Cuomo said. 8. Exclusive: Walmart's hiring strategy: Hire Temps....YEAR ROUND. 9. Walmart accepted clothing from banned Bangladesh factories. 10.  Fairway posted a 4Q Loss...but is still on the upside of grocery stocks. 11.  Your Dad definitely wants a Union-Made Gift! Check out AFL-CIO's Father's Day Gift guide! Bonus On the Blog: Amish Market's Owner Sentenced to Jail...Because of Brave Workers Thanks and to all the Fathers out there....Happy Father's Day!

Friday News Bites: Social Media Ruling by NLRB

“You don’t roll out the welcome mat for a company that kills more jobs than it creates,” he said. “Our first rule has to be do no harm, and that means safeguarding the jobs and small businesses that Walmart puts at risk.” - Bill de Blasio

The National Labor Relations Board has made their first firm ruling in an employer's Social Media Policy case, UFCW 371 vs. Costco.  The board found Costco's policy was overbroad, illegal.

Walmart to open first India store in 18 months.

Washington Post: How does Walmart work for America? Low prices at an enormous high cost, that will be around forever.

Unorganized Walmart Warehouse workers were forced to strike due to working conditions within the warehouse.Workers marched for 6-days to create awareness of their horrendous working conditions, the march ended a few days ago at LA City Hall.  Read the release here.

A cancer patient was fired by Walmart for using prescribed, medical marijuana.

Must Read: In These Times: Walmart Holds Secretive "Workerwashing" Meeting in DC w/ Labor Advocates.

Boykewich believes that the purpose of the DC event was to create the appearance of ethics without having to deal directly with supply-chain workers. “With this kind of event, [Wal-Mart executives] are trying to create this kind of halo of seriousness about ethical sourcing. They have done this again and again: They did this during the bribery scandal, they did this in the case of CJ's, and they are doing it with the striking [warehouse] workers now. There is nothing scarier to Wal-Mart than the prospect of actually having to negotiate directly with workers up and down the supply chain."

The Economist has a great read on taking unions, workers, for granted: Unions and the election: With friends like these...Republicans are getting tougher on unions. But so, too, are Democrats.

The Fresh Market is going to Southampton, while law makers mull their town's supermarket laws.

Stamps just aren't Fresh- Fresh Market won't be accepting Food Stamps.

Walmart won't be calling Brooklyn, home.

“This is a huge victory for the people—stopping a giant from coming in to exploit our workers and devastate our economy,” read the statement. “Going forward, East New York will now be respected and will get a retailer that respects its workers and our community’s economy. Stopping Walmart is not a loss of jobs. Instead, this shows that stopping Walmart can create a net gain of good jobs for workers.”

What are UFCW members doing to help working families win this election in November? Find out at UFCW's Blog.

What to Read on Thursday Afternoon:

Report: Foul Ball, Walmart is potentially eying a site across the street from Citi Field. 

More @ NY1.

The Gothamist is reporting that the initial report of Walmart @ Citi has no merit. 

The community in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, has been fighting against a Walgreens replacing their only grocery store.  Yesterday Marty Markowitz joined 200 community members protesting in front of the shuttered grocery store.

"We have shown that it is possible for many years for this community to support a supermarket here," Councilman Brad Lander, D-Park Slope, told the agitated crowd assembled near the increasingly decrepit storefront at 589 Prospect Avenue.

More @: DNAinfo: Windsor Terrace Community to Walgreens: Stay out of our Neighborhood.
Brooklyn Eagle,  Patch,  Community wants Fresh Food not Drugs, Check out the campaign site Greenbeans not Walgreens.

Working in These Times asks what the CEO change @Supervalu means for the UFCW.

Two store fronts, one owner, one year: A Key Food Superstore just opened this May in New Rochelle on Pelham Rd, now they'll rename the store to Torino Market a Taste of Italy, the store is still owned by Uncle Giuseppe's. 


Target will gladly take your gay money but won't support marriage equality.  Their new marketing campaign is geared towards being "yourself" but, don't ask them to support you.

"Target is no better than Walmart," Canadian UFCW President.

Bloomberg Business Week looks where Walmart stands in the Political world.

Josh Eidelson of In These Times has an excellent in depth piece on the striking Palermo's Pizza workers in Wisconsin.

Stop & Shop will open their Hyde Park store in November.

The Fresh Market continues to grow, they hit a new 52-week high.

The Caterpillar strike is now in its fourth month. On July 25, Caterpillar reported a second-quarter profit of $1.7 billion, or $2.54 per share, up 67 percent from the year-earlier period's $1.02 billion, or $1.52 per share. Revenue was $17.4 billion.  That apparently is not enough.


Walmart named a former KPMG exec to their board.

Rite Aid is facing a strike threat in Orange County, California.

Excited about Mitt Romney's plan?  Hike Middle Class Taxes, Outsource American Jobs.  Another reason why UFCW members should support the Active Ballot Club.


Last Saturday the Oregon AFL-CIO set up "Hug a Thug" tables in an Oregon park, conservatives love calling Union members "Thugs" so the Oregon AFL-CIO wanted to remind the community that these so called "Thugs" are firefighters, teachers, nurses, cops, postal workers and hundreds of people they interact with each day.

Forced to work with a broken ankle? Really?!  Check out a first hand look at what went on at a Poultry Plant in Arkansas and what brought workers together to fight for change and for a union.

Friday Afternoon News Bites

Excellent reporting by Sarah Jeffe from AlterNet on the politics of food in NYC and how the Bronx was sold out short in FreshDirect deal.

New York City, like most of the country, is hurting for jobs—good jobs that pay a living wage and provide benefits so that people can support their families. Yet billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Bronx borough president Ruben Diaz Jr., is about to hand over $129 million in public money, through tax exemptions and direct subsidies, to FreshDirect, a grocery delivery service that is notorious for underpaying its workers, has faced multiple accusations of discrimination and has been accused of using all sorts of shady tactics to block its workers from joining a union.

A former Target manager tells Gawker how they're trained to stay union-free, a great spot by Hamilton Nolan.

Check out more @the Daily Kos.


Target has denied flu shots for two sisters who are disabled in their Hicksville store.

Stop & Shop will be opening a new store in Hyde Park.

A newly approved King Kullen in Tuckahoe (Southampton) won't deter the community from lobbying for another new grocer in the village.


Fresh Market has said they plan on opening 14-16 stores during the fiscal 2012.

NY's Food Desert Fund Distributes $6 million since 2010:

The New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund, a three-year, public/private program launched in late 2010, has thus far provided $6.14 million — $4.86 million in loans and $1.28 million in grants — to seven supermarket projects aimed at improving access to nutritious food for 24,000 people in underserved communities throughout New York state, according to the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) here.

Community members and small business owners rallied in Chinatown LA against a proposed Walmart.

The NY Daily News has backed the RWDSU & Make the Road's new campaign "Wash NY" a movement to bring justice to car-wash workers throughout NYC.   They released a report chronicling the illness' within the industry this week.  Check out Lila Shapiro's column in the Huffington Post and the campaign website at www.washnewyork.org.

Business Insider: "Target has completely destroyed its competition."

Friday Morning One-Liners: A&P Rumors

Analysts are saying that A&P needs to shed more weight.  There are rumors floating of a bankruptcy filing by Monday.

Long Islanders are fearing 'toxic' reusable bags.

Mayor Bloomberg says Washington should look at NYC's job creation as a national model.

Mayor Bloomberg also spoke about Wal-Mart in NYC, saying they have the 'legal right' to open in the Big Apple.

Wal-Mart is ending their $1 premium Sunday pay. 


The Fresh Market is getting a lot of resistance trying to open in  Lincoln Park, Chicago.

The Wakefern Food Corp. on Monday opened a 90,000-square-foot extension to its existing supermarket warehouse in the Keasbey section. The addition will increase the warehouse's capacity by more than 25 percent. The 450,000-square-foot facility now has a total of 100 loading doors and employs 325 workers, officials said.

According the NY Post a Gristedes will take over for the Lowes Tower East, in Manhattan.

Fairway Douglaston (Queens): "No Opening Date Set, yet".

Thursday Morning One Liners: Target's Metro Expansion

Wal-Mart Janitors are trying again to bring a Class-Action Suit against their employer, over wages and hours.

The suit, like the first, alleges janitors routinely worked seven days a week and were denied overtime pay, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and that Wal-Mart acquiesced in the illegal practices, in violation of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act. Read more @ Law.com

The Fresh Market's sales and Q3 earnings are soaring.

The Huffington Post: Wal-Mart's Baby Formula Scam

The Perishable Pundit asks if Wal-Mart's Local Farmer Initiative is just an innovative Public Relations Stunt.

Everything PR: Wal-Mart's PR Machine is Rolling.

Target revamps 3 more metro locations for fresh one-stop conveinece shopping in DC, Chicago and Dallas.

More than 100 Target stores in the Chicago, Dallas and Washington, D.C., metro areas have been redesigned to further deliver one-stop shopping convenience.

The Minneapolis-based retailer says the stores feature an open-market grocery layout stocked with a selection of fresh produce, fresh meat and baked goods. The new layout also includes reinventions in several other areas throughout the store such as beauty, home, shoes and electronics. More @ ProGrocer

Last Thursday, Target opened their new P-Fresh store in Commack, Long Island, completely stocked with not only their usual items but fresh produce, meats and other supermarket items

NACS: Supermarkets Address Changing Shopping Habits: Target, Wal-Mart, now a place for grocery

New Zoning in East Rockaway has been Approved, one more approval in March 2011for a new Pathmark....

The new plan focuses on the northern portion of the existing industrial zone, which includes the Berg properties, a CVS drug store and other buildings. The southern portion, which includes a Pathmark supermarket, will remain an industrial zone, awaiting potential further review after the March 2011 village election. The Commuter’s Club property, on the northeast side of the railroad tracks, will remain in the industrial zone

Contracts, Negotiations:
UFCW Local 1564 has agreed to a deal with Smith's out in New Mexico
More @ The Mexican

Monday Morning One Liners....Local 371 protests Fresh Market, more....

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

UFCW Local 371 is protesting a new Fresh Market.

Ray Venezia, a third-generation butcher and meat director for Fairway Market explains how to carve a turkey to FOX 5 here in NY. [video]

Police say a fire broke out in Wal-Mart's Christmas tree section outside their store in Westbury, Long Island.

Canada's top court has ruled in favor of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in a dispute over union organizing efforts at a store in Quebec. Read More: [Bloomberg], [Marketwire] [Investor]

AP: Year after Stampede, Black Friday gets a makeover.

Newsday says that Security outweighed customers at Walmart in Green Acres mall.

DA: Walmart, peaceful this year on Black Friday.

NY Times Blog: Trader Joe's confirms it is coming to the Upper East West Side.

Apple growers upstate NY are leaving more fruit on trees than usual.

UFCW Local 7 members have began voting on their final contract proposal from Safeway, King Soopers, City Market.

U.S. retail shoppers spent about $41.2 billion over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, up slightly from $41.0 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation

Delahize closes on a Greek banner.

Penn Traffic Co. has informed the New York State Department of Labor that it could shutter most of its stores on Feb. 15, although reports said the company is still hoping to find a buyer by that time.

Another Brooklyn BJ's? Aldi denied a store for not fixing a street, Fresh Market will open upstate, Tuesday Morning Read...

Image via Wikipedia

"I asked the boss for permission to go to the hospital. She said, 'It's fine, go - but you don't have a job anymore.'"

-Adela Valdez, mother of 4, fired for catching a cold, in Sunday's New York Times.
 
Change to Win's campaign on CVS advances in South New Jersey.

The Fresh Market, an eagerly expanding gourmet grocery store, has been salivating at the thought of opening more stores in the North East. They'll break ground on their first New York store upstate, in Latham on October 13.  They'll be opening a store in Connecticut next week.

Aldi was refused permission to open a UK store for "failed negotiations to agree how much money Aldi should pay towards local roads improvement." Thankfully there are no damaged roads in Queens, so we won't encounter this problem when they open their first NY store next year.

UFCW Local 7 update: Strike may not change shopping habits. [Denver Post]
Grocery Workers wrapping up contract vote in Colorado. [AP]


Development Update: Joe Sitt of Thor Equities pitches a new BJ's site for Brooklyn.

SN has named Stop & Shop and Giant of Landover the winners of the 2009 Retail Excellence Award, sponsored by Kraft Foods. The two Ahold-owned chains have reasserted their dominance as value leaders in their markets, and remain standouts in such areas as marketing, technology and health and wellness.

Meanwhile, Stop & Shop unvieled a new custom publication called "Small Victories" geared towards Mom's.

D'Agostino's will launch a radio campaign, it's first campaign on the radio in 10-years.

The Teamsters endorsed Mike Bloomberg for Mayor.

The Hotel Trades Council has reached a deal with Steve Wynn, one less roadblock he'll face on his attempt to open an enormous "Racino" at the Aqueduct.

Pathmark opens in New Dorp, Pomegranate turns one, Garment workers in LIC owed backwages

Image via Wikipedia

Pathmark will re-open in New Dorp Staten Island this week. Grand Opening will be Friday at 10 AM

The Progressive Grocer looks at 'Pomegrante' the kosher and gourmet supermarket in Brooklyn, New York, turns one this month.

Supermarket News picked up the Wal-Mart looking into NYC story.

Queens Crap has a healthy discussion on Wal-Mart in NYC.

Long Island City: Garment workers owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back wages.
Local garment workers staged a protest against two clothing factories in Long Island City, Queens, on Tuesday. They were rallying for the rights of six Chinese workers, who allegedly are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back wages and allegedly were fired unlawfully from Great Wall Corp., a garment manufacturer, and Silver Fashion, a subcontractor which produces for Great Wall.

Is CVS moving into the former elegant, marble 14th Street Balducci's?

The Fresh Market is opening their second store in Philadelphia this week, the company continues to expand to the north east.

The latest government report shows more than 50% of peaches hold pesticides.

Upper West Side Whole Foods gets their own wine store.

Fresh & Easy will be launching their own private label beer.

Politics

Mayor Bloomberg will maintain control of schools until 2015.

The mayor in Houston wants to follow Bloomberg’s lead on term limits.

Christine Quinn, Marty Markowitz and Lew Fidler endorsed Darlene Mealy for re-election.

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

Image via Wikipedia

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.
Read more of this story

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.

Local 1262 extends negotations, Monday Morning One Liners..

Image via Wikipedia

Supermarket News picked up Friday's Pathmark protest.

UFCW Local 1262 extends their contract negotiations.

Exon Mobil overtakes Wal-Mart Stores to top the Fortune 500.

UFCW steps up organizing efforts at Wal-Mart.

More Wal-Mart's around the country are showing signs of organizing.

The Henry Street Gristedes was damaged by a fire last week.

Safeway and Trader Joe's named most ethical.

Another supermarket ends online delivery.

BJ's eyes are still on Pittsburgh.

If you were wondering John Catsidmatids (Gristedes) did sleep in the Lincoln bedroom during the Clinton administration.

Woman was charged with embezzling $147K from the Fresh Market.

Dick Cheney has been caught shopping at Balducci's.

The closing fire sale at Balducci's has begun.

Progressive Grocer has more on the store closures...Balducci's has said they are “look[ing] forward to making an exciting announcement about the six continuing stores soon.”

The economy has stalled the progress of the Hyde Park Stop & Shop.

And finally a study has confirmed that teens tend to be "fatter" when a fast food restaurant is within one block of their school...

Wegmans Food Markets is testing new, larger shopping carts at a store here, the company said in a local news report last week.
Read more of this story

Wal-Mart uses rescession as ally to open new stores in Chicago, Fresh Market and family, Monday Morning News...

Image by

What's the haps with Wal-Mart

Citing the need for new investment to boost the sagging local economy, Wal-Mart is preparing to launch a new push for approval of as many as five new stores in Chicago, sources said Thursday.

Wal-Mart eyes 12 'Food Deserts' in Chicago.

Wal-Mart to cash a check for up to 6 times to state fee in Connecticut.

Grand Jury is calling witnesses for the Wal-Mart stampede this past Thanksgiving.

Springsteen fans: "disappointed" [Wal-Mart deal]

Elsewhere

Fresh Market goes corporate: The 26-year family run 'The Fresh Market' came to an end last week when the Berry family stepped down from CEO position.

A Federal agency declares Bashas' discriminates against Hispanic employees.

Smith's & Food 4 Less ratify UFCW contracts in Las Vegas.

BJ's Wholesale Club goes back to basics.

Politics

New York Times: Patterson's Supermarket Winery's.

More on the debate on selling wine in Supermarkets.

NY GOP to Guiliani: "Help"

Working Families Party pushes forward in Suffolk County.

SEIU, UCFW and other worker rights advocates are escalating their campaign against Republican efforts to obstruct the appointment of Congressmember Hilda Solis as the new Labor Secretary. Solis

Companies and Unions set to square off on Employee Free Choice.

Gillibrand the flip flopper.

Andrew Cuomo, not running for Governor, speaks to conservatives.

Key Food in Bay Ridge, Whole Foods donates to Farm Aid, Fairway Donates Turkeys and Wednesday Morning Quick Clicks

11/26/2008: Happy Thanksgiving!

A new Key Food in North Bay Ridge is becoming a reality for eager shoppers.

The Jamaica retail re-development is progressing.

Recently Assemblywoman Joan L. Millman delivered Thanksgiving turkeys to six neighborhood organizations, thanks to Fairway Market’s generous donation of 30 frozen turkeys.

ONE of the city's great est potential retail properties - and a gateway to the Meatpacking District and Chelsea - is being sold.

Exactly what Long Island City needs, more Hotels.

Seafood from Canada has been boycotted by a number of U.S. supermarkets and restaurants in an effort to end Canada's annual seal hunt.
Read more of this story

A Shaw's supermarket in Conn, is set to close in January. The store will re-open as a 'Fresh Market'. Fresh Market continues it's North East expansion.

Whole Foods donated $30,000 to Farm Aid.

And Wal-Mart purchased another old Home Depot.

John Tasini is campaigning for John Edwards as the next Labor Secretary.

SAMS Club is recycling in an enormous way.

The latest edition of the Register is now available online.

And there's a large push to legalize MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in New York State.

Monday Morning One Liners...

Image via Wikipedia

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23 members who work for Penn Traffic have ratified a new three-year agreement

Target Corp. here yesterday said it will open fewer new stores than previously projected during the next two years, according to reports.
Read more of this story

UFCW Muslim workers are demanding a time for prayer.

The UFW is urging Trader Joe's to fight for labor rights after a 17-year-old employee died of a heat stroke earlier this summer.

Ahold's U.S. banners posted a combined 6.4% sales gain in the third quarter, with comparable-store and identical-store sales gains at all U.S. divisions, the retailer here said in a trading statement Friday.
Read more of this story

Assembly Member Micah Kellner distributed environmentally friendly re-usable shopping bags at the Roosevelt Island Farmers Market this past Saturday.

Wakefern Food Corp.'s ShopRite banner has launched a weekly circulars widget.
Read more of this story

The Fresh Market, a fast growing gourmet store from South Carolina is still eagerly trying to expand throughout the North-East, and is now heading to the Albany area.

The Times Union tells their readers it's not Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.

More on the development here.

A Human Rights Researcher says Wal-Mart has "perfected the art of Union busting."

The NY Times endorsed Mike McMahon.

'Nightmare scenario' in State Senate

It's being called "the nightmare scenario": a State Senate unable to work because Democrats and Republicans win an equal number of seats in the Nov. 4 elections. Such a tie hasn't occurred before in modern New York history but is looking more likely because there are only a few close races out of 6

Quinn-Quinn situation for the speaker

The biggest winner - after Mayor Bloomberg - of the City Council's vote to extend term limits may be Speaker Christine Quinn.

And John Casamatidis can now carry a gun.