Wednesday Afternoon One-Liners:

Target just doesn't provide lots of hours to workers as we saw in Valley Stream, but now a Target Manager was fired for working through lunch.

A UFCW Local 1500 King Kullen will be opening in a new store in Garden City this November.

Huntington Patch: Future Uncertain for Local Pathmark Employees.  A spotlight on Local 1500 member Pete Globoschutz.


Walmart Free NYC will be hosting a teach in tomorrow in NYC @ Liberty Park.  More info @ Facebook.

In Long Island, a proposed bill could give the County executive the power to unilaterally open all county contracts up and decide which provisions he/she would like to retain or eliminate.  We, along with thousands of Long Island working families, find is ridiculous and unconstitutional. 


Occupy Wall Street: Working Families are Struggling.

Working Families Party's Dan Cantor is interviewed in City Hall News this week, discussing #OWS.

An advertiser's take on the middle class: More Diverse, Harder Working--and Still Shrinking....

Labor costs and inventory shorts have Walmart struggling to stock shelves.

Some grocery stores are unplugging their self-checkouts.

Biggest strike to date leaves Greece at a standstill for two-days.


UAW workers have ratified a new agreement with Ford.

And elsewhere, Carmelo Anthony planted Harlem's 500,000th tree this weekend.

Mid Week One-Liners: 3/6-3/9

“Almost half of this shopping center depends on that store!” said Connie’s Pizza owner Louis Sabino. “It’ll kill us when it closes.”- Small Business Owners concerned about the  Nostrand Ave. Pathmark closing.

Whole Foods in Tribeca is now offering a concierge service.

In California, where the UFCW is negotiating contracts covering 62,000 grocery workers, Paul Suchecki of the Venice Patch writes an Op-Ed entitled 'Unions Get No Respect'.

BJ's Wholesale Club is expanding to Buffalo.

Stand in Solidarity on April 4th! the AFL-CIO has organized a 'We are One' rally.  Supporting workers across Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and throughout America.

Last week we objected to A&P's bonus plan, yesterday, a judge in White Plains sort of objected:

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain in White Plains, N.Y., on Tuesday gave the company permission to pay bonuses to more than 140 "second-tier" managers, saying those bonuses had triggers that were not a "walk in the park." He said the company needs to develop a business plan, negotiate more terms for its reorganization and show more business metrics before granting $440,000 per person to three top executives, however. More @ Supermarket News -Bloomberg News/North Jersey.

 Pathmark announced a new program "Pathmark Perks" for their shoppers.

Mom & Pops surrounding Nostrand Ave. Pathmark are concerned about business once the Pathmark closes.  Yournabe wonders if they need another supermarket and who will fill the vacant space.

Props to Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel for warning food retailers, if they're planning to grow their businesses in the city of Chicago they must include the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables to underserved inner-city neighborhoods in their plan.

Yesterday was International Women's Day.  Check out Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis' statement here.  Join the UFCW Women's Network on Facebook, and watch this video: James Bond for Women's Rights.

Monday Morning One Liners...

Our UFCW brother Brian Petronella, the longtime president of the Westport-based UFCW, Local 371 and a leading figure in Connecticut labor and politics died suddenly Friday night. For more information please head to www.ufcw371.org.  This is a tragic loss for the UFCW, and Brian will be missed dearly.

Last week, the U.S. Senate passed a funding measure that includes a six-month extension of the enhanced federal funding level for state Medicaid programs. The measure passed last Thursday by a vote of 61-39.  More @ Supermarket News.

The FTC has ordered Tops to sell seven of their newly acquired Penn Traffic stores.

Action Alert: Tell Mott's: Get the scabs out of your apple sauce!

Crain's: While A&P sinks, rivals salivate.
The financial free fall of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.—owner of A&P, The Food Emporium, Pathmark, Waldbaum's and other chains—has its local rivals salivating. “We are just observing right now,” insists billionaire John Catsimatidis, who owns the Gristedes chain....

In related news Forbes reported last week that Barnes & Noble may be up for sale;
Billionaire Ron Burkle, who increased his ownership stake in Barnes & Noble last year to about 18 percent, has been battling with Riggio over changes he wants to see made to corporate governance in order to boost value. Burkle has said he isn't interested in a takeover but expects to propose a slate of three new directors at the next annual meeting, scheduled to be held by Sept. 30. Barnes & Noble officials have been concerned about an alliance between Burkle and Aletheia Research & Management Inc.,

More @ Gawker.

Please join Wake Up Walmart and the National Labor Committee in calling on Walmart to support a 35 cent per hour minimum wage for garment workers in Bangladesh.

WSJ: Changes in Flushing Set Off Food Fight:
The recent closure of a Key Food in Flushing was the last straw for many longtime residents, who say they feel ignored and isolated. Now, they are asking the new Asian market in the area to cater to them, too.

More @ the Gothamist.

The CCE (Citizens Campaign for the Environment) released their first Long Island Grocery Report on store's reusable bag policies.  The “B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Bag): Reusable Bag Policies at Long Island Grocery Stores” report, was done bye CCE staff who analyzed and evaluated reusable bag policies of fourteen Long Island grocery store chains.  Check out the release and how your supermarket faired in the report here.

Gristedes in Pelham Manor to Close: The Pelham Weekly reports that the store will close as soon as possible and even though Grocer John's is closing, Gristedes presence in Pelham Manor may not have come to an official end:“We were trying different experiments in hope of coming up with the correct formula,” said Mr. Catsimatidis. “And we may try and give it one more shot.”

B-Net: Target Focuses on Food, Not Fashion in East Harlem.

The new King Kullen in Island Park is moving forward...

Thursday News Before Noon: Baltimore Supports Living Wage, Target Set to Open in Harlem Sunday...

Image via Wikipedia

East Harlem gets Big Boxes; Target set to Open Sunday:
After years of flirting with Manhattan, the bull's-eye has landed in East Harlem. Target's first store on the New York island officially opens Sunday — with merchandise tailored to the neighborhood, including Spanish-language greeting cards, multicultural dolls, religious candles and renowned Southern food produced locally. It's a key step in the discounter's push into urban markets to fuel its growth. Read More at the Daily News & NPR also covered the story.

Poll: Baltimore Supports Living Wage:
One day before a City Council subcommittee will meet to consider living-wage legislation governing large employers, a public opinion and strategy firm called Lake Research Partners has released a poll indicating that Baltimoreans support such legislation.

Supermarket News profiles the First Lady, Michelle Obama, noting her success and drive in Food Policy and expansion of healthy foods across the country.

Young Workers in New Jersey, Across Country, Struggling to Find Work:
Belleville’s Pathmark Supermarket, on Belmont Avenue, reported 40 percent of its spring/summer applicants being adults, versus their average 20 percent adult-applicant rate, before the recession. "Because of layoffs, people are willing to take anything nowadays," said Front-End Manager Kareemah Terr

A judge has thrown out the results of the controversial union vote at Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Supplier:
Last July, Employees at 2 Sisters Food Group last July voted against representation by the United Food and Commercial Workers union by a count of 87-66. The supplier, based in Riverside, Calif., has subsequently been acquired by Fresh & Easy..  The judge found the company guilty of firing a "pro-union" employee and said the company must offer to reinstate Trespalacios to her former job and provide for lost wages and benefits. The union may choose to call for another union vote.  Read more at SN.

More @ The Press Enterprise

BJ's Wholesale Club Hits a New High.

California Retailers Victorious
In what attorneys called a “huge win for retailers in the Golden State,” a California Court of Appeal ruling has preserved the right of retailers to restrict union picketing on their properties.

Shaw's Workers: Back to Work...

Bottom Dollar Food set to open and expand throughout Philadelphia Area.

Wegmans is also opening a new superstore in the Philly Suburbs.

Thursday Morning One Liners:

Arrajj said the supermarket tried to offer union members a $500 store gift card instead. "That doesn't help pay mortgages," he said.

-Dick Arrajj, who has been picketing in front of Shaw's stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for more than a week. From Today's Eagle Tribune, Massachusetts Shaw's workers picket at NH stores.

NY Daily News: Patsy's Pizza dishwasher sues for working conditions, compensation and firing

Brooklyn Eagle: More and more stores are going 'bagless' in Brooklyn.

WSJ: Some Harlem developers are having second thoughts on retail in Harlem.

A few years ago, real-estate developers had aggressive plans to bring trendy retail and office space to inner-city communities, which were attracting a growing middle class. Now, some of those developers are having second thoughts.  More @ WSJ.

Progressive Grocer: Walmart Opens 1,000th Money Center, Plans 500 More...

Walmart celebrated the grand opening of its 1,000th Walmart MoneyCenter in Chalmette, La., this week as it gears up to add another 500 locations this year.
“Walmart MoneyCenters are a cornerstone of our business and were specially created to give customers a welcoming environment where they can save when they cash checks, pay bills and transfer money,” said Jane Thompson, president, Walmart Financial Services. “Customers ask when their stores will get a Walmart MoneyCenter, so we are delighted to announce the expansion into approximately 500 more stores.”

Michelle Obama to food makers: Hurry up on Healthy Food!

You can check out BJ's Q4 Earnings Conference Call here.

Supermarket News: A&P has begun sending shoppers offers via text message and linking savings to their loyalty card when a reply message is received. Discounts are applied automatically when the card is swiped at the checkout.

Shaw's

Masssachusett's Shaw's workers picket at New Hampshire stores

Dick Arrajj has been picketing in front of Shaw's stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for more than a week. Arrajj has worked in the Methuen warehouse that ships food to Shaw's stores across New England for 20 years.

Along with other members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 791, Arrajj said he doesn't want to strike, but will continue until the supermarket and union make a deal.

Even though none of the employees in New Hampshire Shaw's stores are members of the union, Arrajj said customers have been sympathetic to their cause.

Arrajj said the supermarket tried to offer union members a $500 store gift card instead.

"That doesn't help pay mortgages," he said.

Show your support for Shaw's workers on Facebook and by signing the petition!

Politics, City & Nation

Steve Levy, the former Democratic Suffolk County Executive, announced he will switch parties and run for Governor of New York.  More @ New York Times.

Democrat & Chronicle: Fight over grocery stores' right to sell wine escalates.

NY Times: Democrats Inch Towards Securing Votes for Health Bill

NY Times: Jobs Bill passes with 11 Republican votes.

Crain's: Unions slam NYC Congressman over Health Care

The Obama health insurance overhaul has Democratic Rep. Mike McMahon caught between conservative constituents who oppose reform, and unions threatening to derail his political career if he rejects it.

Monday News at Noon

Image via Wikipedia

Crain's: Costco Misses Mark in Harlem
After opening a store in late November with promises of jobs and economic revival for the community of East Harlem, warehouse club Costco Wholesale Corp. terminated 160 of its 453 workers there last month in order to cut costs.

A Michigan painting company that did work for Hempstead Village and Suffolk County admitted to paying its workers less than New York's prevailing wage, and must repay the employees and state more than $371,000 in back pay, penalties and interest, the Nassau district attorney said Thursday.

Daily News: Farmworkers Deserve their Day in Court: Fundamental Rights are being denied
The vast majority of farmworkers in our state are now Latino, and for decades they have been deprived of the most basic rights afforded to virtually all other laborers. It's long past time to get creative and close an old loophole that has led to a new civil rights problem.

Kristen Gillbrand was at Fairway Market this past weekend.

New Jersey: Ocean County's largest supermarket chain was allowed to continue its role as an objector to a proposed Walmart on Route 37, as the township Planning Board heard details of the revised project.

Grand Junction Press: Albertsons and Local 7 pact a deal.

NYS Council on Food Policy Listening Session in Harlem

NYS Council on Food Policy Listening Session in Harlem

The New York State Council on Food Policy will be in HARLEM to LISTEN to YOU!

The NYS Council on Food Policy is holding a series of Listening Sessions around the state to gain perspective from community members on several food policy issue areas and to seek opportunities to maximize collaboration among stakeholders.

This is your chance to voice out your feelings on food!

"My grocery store just closed down!"

"My bodega only sells junk food!"

"Food prices are burning holes in my pockets!"

The Harlem Listening Session will be held from 5 to 7pm at

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building

163 West 125th Street, New York

The Listening Sessions are open to the public and are an open microphone format. Anyone who wishes to participate will have five minutes to present their opinions and must also provide their comments in written format. Comments should focus on the key issue areas identified by the Council.

Key issue areas include:
1) Maximize participation in food and nutrition assistance programs;
2) Strengthen the connection between local food products and consumers;
3) Support efficient and profitable agricultural food production and food retail infrastructure; and
4) Increase consumer awareness and knowledge about healthy eating and improve access to safe and nutritious foods.

Please RSVP to John Mallen by calling 1.800.522.0456 ext. 212 or by sending an Email

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