Target Chairman & CEO Gregg Steinhafel is OUT, Here's Why:

5 months after what could be the biggest credit and debit breach in United States history, 36 months after being federally charged and found guilty of violating federal labor laws that protect Target employees, 9 months after an internal memo leaked on "Multi-Cultural Training Tips" to manage Hispanic workers, 1 month after his company's second anti-union video surfaced, and just a few months after receiving another award for World's Most Ethical Retail Employer from Episphere, Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel has finally resigned.

Top 5 accomplishments under CEO Gregg Steinhafel:

1. Target Corp. Found Guilty of Violating Federal Labor Laws and Rights of Employees (their entire "Employee Manual" was also found to be unlawful, ordered to be changed)
2. Offensive Memo of "Multi-Cultural" Training Tips on Managing Hispanic Employees Leaked
3. Released two "Cheesy" and Illegal Anti-Union Videos, Forcing Employees to Watch Them (See for yourself, video 1 and video 2: the new 2012 version)
4. Gregg took a modest 83% raise in 2010, bringing his salary to $23.9 million
5. Massive Data Breach: When the final numbers are tallied, the data breach could be the largest in United States history.  via AP: To date, the data breach compromised 40 million credit and debit card accounts between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15. Then on Jan. 10, the company said hackers also stole personal information — including names, phone numbers as well as email and mailing addresses — from as many as 70 million customers.
    

Though his tenure inspired courageous workers throughout the country to stand up and demand change from the country's third largest employer, the resignation is long overdue.    We urge the future Target chairman and CEO to not only focus on consumer responsibility, but employee responsibility. Target workers are the force behind the bullseye, and they deserve respect, as well as voice at work.  The time for change is now, Target has a wonderful opportunity to show they're committed to respecting workers, now is the time to take the step in that direction.

Throwback handbill during the union campaign in 2011 at Valley Stream Target

Targeting Latinos

via Huffington Post

Former Target employees are suing the company for discrimination, citing a company document that was distributed to managers with racist reminders that not all Hispanics eat tacos and burritos, or wear sombreros.  The suit claims Target gave its warehouse managers a document entitled, "Organization Effectiveness, Employee and Labor Relations Multi-Cultural Tips," the document had six talking points ranging from burritos to sombreros addressing how to manage Hispanic employees.   According to the suit, the Multi-Cultural training document stated :

a. Food: not everyone eats tacos and burritos;b. Music: not everyone dances to salsa;
c. Dress: not everyone wears a sombrero;
d. Mexicans (lower education level, some may be undocumented);
e. Cubans (Political refugees, legal status, higher education level); and
f. They may say 'OK, OK' and pretend to understand, when they do not, just to save face. 

"We're not surprised by Target handing out such insensitive material," Director of Special Projects Aly Waddy said, "I've spoken to hundreds of Target workers, most of whom have claimed to be discriminated against in some way.  We also saw tremendous racial discrimination by managers in Valley Stream against West Indian workers.  So sadly, it's not a surprise they'd put out such a tactless document."

The document comes at a time where Target's new marketing strategy actually targets hispanic and latinos.  "We are going to source dominant presentations of Latino and Hispanic merchandise through the entire store," Target chief executive officer Gregg Steinhafel told MPR News in May. "It's a big effort that we have internally to really stretch ourselves and jump way out in front." With racist management tips like these, Target shows one face on how they really view Hispanics, while the other side salivates in greed to take advantage of our countries fastest growing demographic.

UFCW Local 1500 shined the national spotlight on the working conditions at Target two-years ago when Target was found guilty of violating federal labor laws in a Union election with our union.  Whether it's at big box retailers like Walmart, Target or Fast-Food establishments like Burger King, Wendy's and McDonald's, workers are fighting back against unfair wages, dreadful working conditions, ridiculous company policies, and discrimination like these "Multi-Cultural Tips".  Workers at these companies want what we all have as Union members, respect at work and protection against discrimination.   Join your union organizers by calling Aly Waddy at 516-422-1322 and help the campaign to Change Target at www.facebook.com/targetchange.

Thursday Afternoon News Recaps: 5/1-5/5

500 Rite-Aid workers reached a tentative contract after a five-year-anti-union campaign by Rite Aid.


Acme cuts 900 Part-Time workers to reflect loss of sales volume at struggling stores.

Walmart is trying their version of Fresh Direct, "Web Grocery".

They're also investing $756 million into Brazil.

AlterNet looks at Walmart's literal impact on hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.

As they [Walmart] remain atop the Fortune 500, another study proves it: Walmart Destroys Small Business. More @ Portfolio.

Walmart's NYC plans were on Community Board 3's agenda Tuesday.

In Southern California, a Federal Mediator has been called in to assist in talks between seven UFCW Locals representing over 60,000 grocery workers and Southern California grocers...A media blackout has also been agreed upon.

UFCW 152, along with small business owners, is fighting Walmart's expansion in New Jersey.

Last week a judge approved A&P's plan to sell 22 SuperFresh stores in Maryland.

A&P executives also won their outrageous bonuses, amidst severe objections.

Stop & Shop re-started their 'gas rewards' program @ Shell gas stations.

Target is continuing their grocery expansion, by end of 2011 they'll be revamping 850 stores.

Grocery is not the only thing Target's expanding on, CEO Gregg Steinhafel's salary increased 83% last year, yeah that's not a typo, eighty-three percent.

Target withstood Walmart's aggressive message/campaign of "price matching" last month, now Walmart is pondering new ideas how to beat Target. Read it @ DrugStoreNews.

Whole Foods saw their best Q2 results in 5 years....They're also opening their first Chicago store.

Politics

In Canada, farm workers can't organize.

via AFL-CIO Blog: Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich, who signed into law a bill to kill collective bargaining rights for public employees, now has issued proclamations making this week “Public Service Appreciation Week” and “Teacher Appreciation Week.”

Brooklyn leads the living wage battle w/ our brothers and sisters @ RWDSU.

Elsewhere

Check out the only known video/audio of Mother Jones, yes you read that right @ 100 years old, it's a must watch for anyone in the labor movement.

Remember to support flower workers this Mother's Day.

NYC is number 1 again for business.

College Grads will see the worst job market since the Great Depression.

A complete list of all our Area meetings is available here.