Mid-Week News Briefs:

Image via WikipediaWalmart is currently in the largest class action suit in US history, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard the case Walmart Stores v. Dukes, in order to determine if Walmart is simply "too big" for a class action suit.  More @Supermarket News.

ABC News looks at how other companies embrace women at the workplace.

A&P's retired executives are seeking representation in A&P's Chapter 11, they stopped receiving payments in November from their plan.


Governor Walker is ignoring a court order and publishing his law, curbing collective bargaining for public employees.

The Governor in Maine has removed a mural which illustrated the history of working families in the state.  More:[Video]

Supermarket News reported on UFCW's push for April 4th, We are ONE rally.

Crain's reports a new 16,000 sqft Grocer will be opening on 110th Street.

Walmart is paying attention to the "changing consumer".


The NY Times looks at Aldi, where Walmart (NYC) has failed, they've succeeded.

The Walmart Truth Tour is coming to NYC on Thursday! Earlier this week they were in Chicago, check out the video and report from Progressive Illinois.

Austin Guest from JWJ, "Walmart Associates in their own words, 'this company doesn't respect workers'"

Must Read: Excellent editorial from Matt Ryan of NYJWJ: Sometimes It Takes a Fire to Wake Us Up.

The Atlantic makes is simple, Walmart is greedy and just wants more.

Ohio continues attack on workers, passes Anti-Worker bill.

In Oregon, the UFCW is rallying supporting workers from Albertsons, Fred Myer & Safeway.

Michigan's Item Pricing Law was repealed.

Trader Joe's frozen pizza has been recalled, 131,000 pounds of it.

In Pittsburgh, the UFCW is protesting Giant Eagle's massive cutbacks in workers' hours.

Contracts with 100,000 NY State workers end today at midnight.

Monday Morning News

Stop & Shop Wokers Vote to Permit Strike
Negotiations continue, and no actual strike has been called. But the voting that finished Friday gives the negotiators of Local 1500 of the United Food and Commercial Workers union the OK to call for a work stoppage. 


Grocery Workers Contract Negotiations...
With the threat of a grocery worker strike over the July 4th holiday weekend looming, UFCW Local 1500 and company representatives resumed negotiations Monday morning. 


Interfaith Prayers Press for Food Justice in New York City


Surprise! Entrepreneaurs Have Pro-Union Slant


Biz Bigs Wage War on Union-Scale Match
A bill passed by the state Senate that was intended to force contractors utilities  to pay union-level wages has become a runaway train, with provisions so drastic that the state Assembly is planning sweeping revisions. 

Wal-Mart Aggressively Scouting Sites in Palm Beach County
Wal-Mart Stores, the nation's largest retailer, is aggressively scouting new store locations throughout Palm Beach County.


Wal-Mart Offers Plans for Dozens of Chicago Stores
The plan would let Wal-Mart expand into a large urban area at a time when its U.S. sales growth has been hot by a week economy


Retired Los Angeles Judge Will Hear Wal-Mart Distribution Case
A new judge has been assigned to oversee a lawsuit filed by a local group alleging the environmental review of its city's proposed Wal-Mart distribution center was faulty, according to a release from the city's attorney's office. 


Giant Eagle, Workers Reach Contract
A four-year agreement has been reached by Giant Eagle and Local 23 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. 


Kroger and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 876
NOVI,Mich-- Associates of The Kroger Co. of Michigan, and affiliate of The Kroger Co. have ratified an agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 876.


Union Ousted at Berkeley Bowl: What's Next?


Alaskan Workers Unite for Solidarity Summer Picnic
Anchorage hosted one of the largest labor gatherings in the state Sunday, the Solidarity Summer Picnic


Shareholder Action Strengthens Rite Aid Workers' Coalition
Rite Aid workers from Pennsylvania, New York and California gathered in Harrisburg, PA. on June 23, before the company's annual meeting to rally for good jobs and show support for the five year struggle by more than 550 employees to form a union at Rite Aid's massive distribution center in Lancaster, Calif. 


Companies Haul Beans for Annual Food Bank Olympics
The Food Bank for Westchester was able to prepare more than 17,000 pounds of pinto beans for pantries as the result of its second-annual Give Back Olympics.

Monday's News, After Noon....

Sales Up, Kroger Beats Expectations
The Kroger Company posted higher- than-expected quarterly earnings Thursday, suggesting that it was holding its own against competition from Wal-Mart stores and other grocery chains. 


Tentative Agreement Reached Between Giant Eagle & UFCW
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23 has reached a tentative agreement with Giant Eagle last week, nearly 6 weeks after bargaining began. 


Conciliation Talks Between UFCW and Loblaw Break Off With No Progress...Union to seek strike mandate from 30,000


Wegmans CEO Recognized By Business Association
Danny Wegman, chief executive officer of Wegmans Food Markets, received an award for his lifetime contribution to the retail food industry. 


Second Supermarket Shut Down Because of Suspicious Suitcase
Nassau County Police cordoned off the Waldbaum's shopping center on Merrick Road in Merrick on Saturday, around 5pm after a suspicious suitcase was left unattended in the middle of the parking lot amid and shopping carts and cars. 


Whole Foods Market and Personal Care Suppliers Bring Authenticity to Organic Labeling
AUSTIN,Texas- Whole Foods Market announced today that all personal care products and cosmetics making an "organic" claim sold in its U.S. stores must be third-party certified by June 1, 2011


Trader Joe's Clears Hurdle for Portland Store
The Federal Trade Commission has approved the sale of the former Wild Oats building on Marginal Way in Portland to Trader Joe's. 


New York Reaches Deal to Raise Cigarette Tax
Cigarette taxes in New York would jump by $1.60 a pack under a tentative deal reached between Gov.David A. Paterson and legislative leaders, which would give New York the nation's highest state cigarette taxes. 

Rockaway gets a Stop & Shop, Tuesday Morning One Liners...

Mayor Bloomberg broke ground on a $23 Million, 55,000 Square-Foot, Stop and Shop at the Rockaway Peninsula Saturday.  The Stop & Shop will bring union jobs and a long needed supermarket to the under-served community.

The state of Tennessee is considering the sale of wine in Grocery stores.

Meanwhile, two Giant Eagle stores in Pittsburgh were awarded licenses to sell beer.

Winn-Dixie Stores (Florida) yesterday said it posted a loss of $8.1 million for the 12-week first fiscal quarter, as smaller average purchases dragged same-store sales down 1.5%. In the year-ago first quarter, the company posted a loss of $2.3 million. 

Wal-Mart announced their projected total cap ex for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010, to range from $12.5 to $13.1 billion, up from about $11.5 billion in fiscal year 2009.

Moody's Investors Service here last week said it expects revenue growth in the supermarket industry "will remain close to flat or slightly negative" into early 2010.

About 20,000 Fry's and Safeway workers in Arizona are still without a contract.

Fresh & Easy will expand into Fresno (California).

Fresh Direct is teaming up with Robin Hood, to fight poverty in NYC.

NJ: Mini-Marts and Bodega's, filling the void of no supermarkets in Atlantic City.

The re-developing Brooklyn Navy Yard received $1 million to develop a Green Manufacturing Center. A facility expected to employ 300 full-time workers.

Tomorrow Local 1500 is co-sponsoring a Summit on Good Food and Good Jobs in New York's Upper East Side all are invited and encouraged to attend the round table discussion.

UFCW Local 876 has developed the first UFCW Hearing benefits program.

1.5 Million people left New York between 2000 and 2008, the largest population loss in the nation.

Politics

The New York Times has endorsed Michael Bloomberg for Mayor.

The NY Post reports Andrew Cuomo will run for Governor.

Wednesday Morning One Liners...

Image via WikipediaImage via Wikipedia

Under the new rule, grocery stores will have to identify the country of origin for meats, produce and certain nuts; seafood is already labeled. Though it took effect on Tuesday, the Agriculture Department gave retailers six months to comply with the new law.

CBS News asks can you really tell where your food is from?

Whole Foods launches a body care line.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880, the union representing thousands of area grocery workers, has reached tentative contract agreements with Giant Eagle Inc. and Heinen's Fine Foods.

The fledgling Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market operation showed heavy losses in its first reported results, but sales were improving, parent company Tesco said Tuesday.
Read more of this story 

Wal-Mart Sets New Healthcare, Training Programs 



Whole Foods Helps Colorado Schools Go Gree  

Politics

Errol Lewis writes "Right-wingers are scapegoating hardworking American families"

 

The New York Times Editorial board has released a statement regarding Bloomberg and Term Limits.

Anthony Weiner said he’ll run against Bloomberg, but Bill Thompson was on the fence.