Top 12 Stories from This Week! Labor Day, Fast Food and Civil Rights!

1. On Thursday, Fast-Food workers throughout the nation went on strike.    In the new wave of walkouts, workers have gained serious momentum. Check out the photos on tumblr.

Favorite Tweet:

NC NAACP president "you can't separate workers rights from civil rights" #829strike pic.twitter.com/N3bom7v80B

2.  Secretary of Labor Tom Perez wrote a message to all UFCW Members this Labor Day! 

3.  Happy Labor Day, Need a brief history of it? 

4.  Make sure you make your Labor Day UNION-MADE!  Here are some easy ways to make your weekend #unionmade.

5.  Here are 14 Labor struggles you should pay attention to this Labor Day.

6.  Senator Warren asks a tough question to colleagues: Why isn't the minimum wage $22 per hour?  Good Question, check this video out!

7.  Last night was our Labor Day celebration, Local 1500 Night w/ the Brooklyn Cyclones, check out the pics here!

8.  Local 400 ratifies a contract with Kroger.

9.  Last one on low wages, here's a statistic that will seriously irritate you.

10. Another Pathmark is closing in New Jersey.

11.  What has Labor done to make your day possible right now? Check this awesome site by AFSCME.

12.  We've added our voice to call on Walmart to pay a REAL wage to their employees and to re-instate their illegally fired strikers!  Add your voice to this Labor Day message!

Top 10 stories this week:

Walmart said they'd pay a living wage if they were allowed to building D.C.  Now, they're refusing to build if the $12.50 minimum wage bill in D.C. is passed.  Sign the petition to tell the Mayor of D.C. not to backdown!

A shameless full page ad in the Washington Post appeared yesterday by NLRB critics, claiming the NLRB is a puppet to organized labor.

70 retailers have signed on to improve working conditions in garment factories in Bangladesh.

Fresh & Easy launched a Food Truck.

Fairway makes two new hires for their new facility.

We protested with community members and other local unions this morning at the grand opening of Walmart in Levittown.  Patch wrote up on it, check out the photos on our Google Plus.

Pathmark to close 3 New Jersey stores.  Related story, A&P is in a Supermarket Reality TV Show. Also, Six Shaw's stores are slated to close.

In a story that's too crazy to be made up, Target's internal "Multi-Cultural Training Tips" for managing Hispanic workers were leaked....Graphic shows you the full list of tips, read the article at Huffington Post.

Kroger has bought the Harris-Teeter chain, in a $2.4 billion dollar deal.

We held our annual Summer Blood Drive & BBQ on Wednesday, thanks to all the donors and volunteers, we collected 129 pints of blood that will go to over 400 New Yorkers in need! Check out the photos here!

Tuesday Morning News Briefs:

Image via WikipediaHappy Labor Day! 

Check out this great Op-Ed: Unions & America fit together like Legos! Message from the editorial: If we don't love and support the working men and women of this country, we are in deep trouble.

Southern California negotiations overshadow Labor Day.

Small business owners have a lot to lose if there is a strike in Southern California. [Press Release]

[LA-Times] A California bill that would ban alcohol sales at self-checkouts progresses..

Kroger has purchased nine Schnucks supermarkets, which raised an interesting discussion as the FTC worries about monopoly concerns as Target & Walmart continue to expand as grocers.

Another cheap hustle from Walmart as they donate $50,000 to the Brooklyn Public Library.

A new King Kullen in Island Park, which has been held up by red tape for the last few years, is scheduled to start construction next month and open in late 2012. [Long Island Press]

A new book chronicles the rise of A&P.

Former Nostrand Ave Pathmark shoppers are now shopping at 'Food Basics'.

In Ohio, Kroger employees are taking their case to public after negotiations between the company and employees break down...Kroger is refusing to budge on employees’ demands for a pay increase after management received a pay raise in July. 

Thanks!

Quick One Liners: Seattle UFCW Takes Strike Vote, Scarsdale gets a ShopRite

Walgreens Sues Wegmans Over Logo
Walgreens has filed a federal trade dress suit against Wegmans, alleging that the supermarket chain's stylized "W" logos are too similar to those of Walgreens. 


Wegmans Says No To Albany Stores
"We are not pursing sites in Albany or the Capital District"- Jo Natale, a spokeswoman for the western New York supermarket chain. 


New ShopRite Opening in Scarsdale 
"The brand new, completely renovated ShopRite of Scarsdale will bring more than 300 jobs to the local community, as well as new life and vitality to the Midway Shopping Center."

Trader Joe's Admits Its Crime Problem 
Brooklyn, NY--A new sign at the entrance to the popular supermarket reads: "We know it's hard to focus with so many amazing values in the store, but please keep a close eye on your belongings!"


Kroger Associates in Cincinnati Ratify New Labor Agreement
The three-year agreement provides good wages, high-quality affordable health care and a pension for associates when they retire. 


Seattle UFCW takes Strike Vote
Approximately 25,000 grocery workers and meat cutters in three union locals are scheduled to vote through Wednesday on an employer contract offer- an offer union officials have asked employees to reject while also asking them to authorize a strike. 


Whole Foods Sees Consumers Rebounding
Citing indications that its customers are spending more freely, Whole Foods Market said last week that its optimistic about its prospects for fiscal 2011. 

Thursday News Afternoon: Is A&P Mulling the Sale of Food Emporium?

Wall Street Journal: A&P Mulls Selling Food Emporium Chain (subscription required)
A&P supermarket chain is considering selling its Food Emporium stores as part of a boarder effort to rid itself of some assets and boost its liquidity.


More at the New York Times


Egg Contamination: Grocers Getting The Word Out
Though media reports have made clear that none of the affected eggs were shipped to New York State, grocers such as Tops and Wegmans have gone out of their way to assure customers the eggs in their coolers are safe. 


Kroger Employees Agree to Sept. 15 Contract Extension
The contract affects about 1,900 workers who authorized their union to take any action necessary, up to and including a strike to reach a contract they feel is fair. 
 In New Jersey, and throughout New Yok, Shoppers are Dismayed at Pathmark's Closing News


Grocery Stores Increase Social Networking
 Wal-Mart and Target are fighting for the mantle of top supermarket chain with the most social media followers. "Each has added over 500,000 followers to Facebook in the last four months."


Upscale Grocery Store Approved
An application was approved for the Fresh Market in Montvale, New Jersey.  


Ithaca Journal: Planning Board OKs Aldi Store
Town of Vestal Planning Board members unanimously approved a proposed Aldi supermarket at Four Corners. 


UFCW Blog:  Giant Eagle Worker Arrested for Talking to other Workers on Her Own Time

Monday Afternoon One Liners....

Image via WikipediaSN: A&P here on Friday said it has named board member Frederic F. "Jake" Brace to the newly created position of chief administrative officer, the third high-level hire at the troubled company in the past week.

The AP has more

UFCW Local 24 has ratified an agreement with Kroger.

AFL-CIO Blog: Public to Lawmakers: End Tax-Cuts for the Rich!

Target Corp. shareholders are demanding changes as boycott continues...

Two Minnesota-based sister locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers have voted to approve a merger.  [Supermarket News]

More on the NYC DCA Supermarket Sweep: About half of all supermarkets (52%) in the five boroughs of New York City were found to be violating pricing regulations, the Department of Consumer Affairs here said. [Supermarket News]

Mayor Bloomberg is considering a ban on smoking in NYC Parks and Beaches.

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. 

Monday News after Noon...

FDA Needs Help Inspecting Food Imports
SAN ANTONIO- As food safety legislation continues to be considered in the Senate, the Food & Drug Administration finds itself lacking resources needed for inspections of imported foods and other products. 


Wegmans CEO recognized by business association
Danny Wegman, cheif executive officer of Wegmans Food Markets, received an award for his lifetime contributions to the retail food industry. 


Wegmans of Collegeville Promotes Available Full-Service Catering Options
The local epicurean experts of the high-quality grocery outlet, Wegmans extend their invitations to assist area residents in all facets of summer entertaining


Kroger says it has deal to avert Michigan strike
Kroger Co. says it's reached a tentative three-year agreement with a labor union, averting a strike by 14,000 workers at 133 stores


Whole Foods Eyes Scotland Expansion


Canaan Elementary gets a helping hand from Hannaford
Canaan Elementary School Principal, Steve Swindells,recently received a $1,000 dollar check from Skowhegan Hannaford. Canaan Elementary School received the bonus for raising the most money for area schools through the Hannaford Helps Schools program. 


Cargo Workers Stage Job Actions
SEATTLE- Backed by Teamsters Local 117, workers at a several loading companies in the Puget Sound region where scheduled to stage job actions Friday at distribution centers operated by Safeway, Fred Meyer and Unified Grocers, among others. 

Foxwoods Bartenders Seek Labor Union Under U.S. Supervision

Bartenders at Foxwoods Resort Casino are trying to form a labor union under the supervision of the U.S. government after failing to organize under the rules of the Indian tribe that owns the casino. 

More: Foxwoods Resort Casino Faces New Demand for Union...[Daily Caller]



In China, Unlikely Labor Leader Just Wanted a Middle-Class Life
Tan Guocheng uis hardly a self-styled labor leader, but last month an hour into his shift at Honda factory in the southern city of Foshan, Mr. Tan pressed an emergency button that shut down his production line. "Let's go out on strike!" he shouted. 


Students Stage Walkout over MetroCard Elimination
About 1,000 students from 23 high schools in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens met at a rally at City Hall Park, marched across the Brooklyn Bridge and briefly rallied at the Transit Building on Jay Street in Brooklyn to protest the planned cut

Weekly One-Liners: News from the Week of June 6

 Due to Contract Negotiations, we'll be releasing the Morning Read twice a week until our Contract is settled with King Kullen, Stop and Shop and Pathmark.  Thank you.

Union workers at Kroger stores in Michigan were still working on Thursday despite their contract expiring. The workers, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 876 here, in a statement said they were fighting “concessionary demands from Kroger,” including defunding a trust account that pays for health benefits. [Supermarket News]

Supermarket Strike Looms

A Spokesperson for Queens Village-based Local 1500 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union characterized contract negotiatons with the major area supermarket chains as "not going good," on contracts that will expire on Saturday, June 26.

Kroger Reaches Tentative Deal with Union

A Kroger spokesperson told Local 4 union employees will take a final vote on the contract next week. Workers will be getting a visit from a union representative before the vote. 

Stop & Shop's Parent, Ahold Profits Up 45 Percent in Q1 on Windfall

Royal Ahold NV, the operator of Stop & Shop and Giant grocery chains, said net profit rose 45 percent in the first quarter as costs stemming from the bankruptcy of its BI-LO subsidiary were less than feared. 

Mediation scheduled for UFCW 367, Macy's.

After negotiating for six months with no end in sight, union members voted to approve a strike last week. Macy's agreed to come to the table for mediation shortly thereafter. 

Walmart Eyes Growth in Russia

Walmart, the world's largest retailer, has signaled its continued interest in establishing stores in Russia, albeit in  a characteristically unusual way. 

Rival Chains Secretly Fund Opposition to Walmart

A grocery chain with nine stores in the area had hired Saint Consulting Group to secretly run the antidevelopment campaign. Saint is a specialist at fighting proposed Walmarts, and it uses tactics it describes as "black arts".

Online grocer Peapod, a division of Ahold, is hosting its first community forum today in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood to address food deserts, large geographic areas that have no or distant mainstream grocery stores. 

Cub Foods Takes on Walmart

Cub Foods is taking on Walmart stores in a fight over the busy St.Paul-Midway shopping district.

Supervalu and Safeway Helped Bolster Anti-Walmart Protests. So What?

Recently, a WSJ investigation revealed that supposedly grassroots opposition to construction of some Walmart stores was funded and facilitated by operatives working for its grocery competitors, including Supervalu and Safeway.

Full investigation @ WSJ.

Walmart, Pullman Park  project rezonging vote delayed again.

CHICAGO, IL--The vote to rezone an area on the Far Sound side to make way for the city's second Walmart retail store was delayed for a second time.

Shoprite opens eighth Maryland location

The new store will be located in the Chesapeake Square Shopping Center, which is owned by principals of the Fedder Company and the Briarwood Group. 

Mill Valley's second Whole Foods Store to open

Whole Foods will debut its much-anticipated second Mill Valley store, a green open-air-style marketplace featuring locally grown products. Officials said they weren't certain, but Mill Valley is likely the smallest town to have two Whole Foods stores. 

Whole Foods Continues Distribution Deal with UNFI

Specialty food distributor United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) will continue to be the primary distributor for Whole Foods Market, which accounted for approximately 33 percent of UNFI's sales last year, until 2010.

Upper West Side Neighbors Worry Fairway Cafe is Doomed

Fairway Cafe, a restaurant located within the landmakr grocery store on the Upper West Side, has yet to confirm rumors of its closure, but already a handful of neighbors have sprung into action. 

Syracuse Wegmans stores seeing produce from down on the farm--the Wegmans farm.

Northeasterners normally must wait until July for local ripe tomatoes, but some upstate New York Wegmans shoppers received theirs a lot earlier.

Union boost HS walkout-- 2,000+ kids plan protest

More than 2,400 students plan to walk out of school at noon today to protest the elimination of free MetroCards-- and leaders from the city's political wired transit and teachers unions will be there to cheer them on.

Friday's News Before Noon: Shaw's March Concludes...

Kroger Workers OK Dallas Contract

Workers at 90 Kroger stores in the Dallas area have voted to approve a new contract. The new agreement covers 8,000 workers represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1000.

Wegmans Rolls Out Season's First Shipment of Wild-caught Salmon
The Rochester,N.Y.- based upscale supermarket received its first shipment of fresh sockeye salmon caught in the pristine waters of the Copper River. 


Shaw's 60-Mile March


Shaw's Protest Employees Protest in Cambridge's Central Square
A group of more than 50 Shaw's employees marched through Central Square on Thursday during the fifth and final day of their march against the corporate grocery giant.  Local 1500 sent delegates to Cambridge, Mass. for the conclusion of the march yesterday (photos to the right)

Boston Herald: Shaw's 60-Mile March Ends...


More @ Wicked Local


UFCW Blog :300 families, 60 miles, 5 days: the march for justice at Shaw's concludes 



Strike! Catfish Workers in the Mississippi Delta Reject Company Contract and Vote to Strike

By a 99 percent margin, workers voted to strike rather than accept a contract that would essentially gut most of the changes that their historic three-month strike won them in 1990.

Trader Joe's Coming to Rochester

ROCHESTER, Minn-- The grocery chain with foods and berverages from the exotic to the basic, has signed a lease to open a store at 1200 16th Street Southwest, located inside Apache Shoppes.

Trader Joe's is turning Paper Bags Into Art.

A&P has re-opened its Pompton Plains, N.J., store, two months after a flood forced the store to close.  The remodeled store features a community center available free to all residents and local organizations for use with advance registration, A&P said. The room can accommodate up to 30 people.[Supermarket News]

Walmart's Asda, has bought out a U.K. food retailer, Netto Foodstores, for $1.1 billion. 


Wal-Mart Thinks Small
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is taking the next step in its British invasion.



Stop & Shop gives out a grant check:
Principal Jennifer Monaco received a giant check for $1,809 from Bob Silver, the manager of the Stop & Shop on Palmer Avenue in New Rochelle.


Unions Begin to Organize California Marijuana Industry
One hundred employees in Oakland pot shops will announce today that they will join the United Food Commercial Workers (UFCW).


New Martha Stewart Grocery Items
Grocers nationwide now have the opportunity to create a unique shopping experience in their aisles for Martha Stewart's loyal fans with a variety of all-natural Martha Stewart-branded products to be offered across multiple departments within stores.


And finally...Oscar Mayer Auctions Wienermobile Adventure
Now through June 4, the Kraft Foods brand is giving everyone the opportunity to bid on eBay for a "Ride Shotbun in the Wienermobile" package.  Put your bids in here.

Have a great, safe Memorial Day, everyone! 

Related articles by Zemanta

• Cannabis Workers Vote "Union Yes," Oaksterdam Workers Have Joined United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 5 (eon.businesswire.com)

Monday News at Noon: Gillibrand visits Staten Island ShopRite

Crain's NY: Fairway Negotiating for another NYC Site.
Upper East Side residents may soon have a better selection of produce and dairy products to choose from. Fairway Market is in negotiation for a lease at 240 E. 86th St., between Second and Third avenues, according to two real estate sources.

Pathmark is replacing a planned film studio in Philadelphia, plans on opening new store early 2011.

Walmart announced last week it plans to eliminate approximately 300 positions, primarily in the corporate support area at its main offices here, in an effort to be more efficient.

Senator at your Supermarket: Senator Gillibrand (NY) meet with Staten Island shoppers and ShopRite employees in Staten Island Saturday. 

UFCW Local 7: Colorado:  Safeway & King Soopers Ratify.
Safeway and Kroger-owned King Soopers grocery store clerks and meat cutters on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to ratify a four-year contract that they rejected in a vote late last year. The new agreement covers about 3,000 retail clerks and meat cutters in Denver, Broomfield, Parker and Castle Pines.

More: Union improves grocery contracts.

Stop & Shop provides tours to Elementary School children.
The tour is now called the “Stop & Shop Store Explorer Program,” and includes information about recycling, the environment and Stop & Shop’s Healthy Ideas shelf-tag program.

Stop & Shop has been advertising for new 'temporary workers' throughout New England, with contracts expiring on Feb. 20.

More @ The Provincetown Banner

BJ's Wholesale Club opened their store in Flushing on Saturday, instead of cutting a ribbon, they broke bread.

Fox News: Harlem Costco struggles to catch on.

Notorious developer Joe Sitt, plans on developing a $100 million shopping center in Bensonhurst, anchored by a BJ's Wholesale Club.

Tops Markets
Watertown Daily Times: Tops Markets is trying to find another unionized grocer to purchase seven former P&C stores in the north country, partly because they're too far from the Buffalo-based company's core service region, according to grocery union officials.

More @ Syracuse.com

More @ ABC News

A King Kullen Supermarket on Forest Avenue in Glen Cove held a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand re-opening on Friday, January 29 after the renovations of the supermarket were completed.

800 Superfresh workers in New Jersey will vote on a contract today with UFCW Local 152.

A look at the new proposed 11,000 sqft Foodtown in the Bronx, who applied for FRESH incentives.

Politics
John Durso, President of UFCW/RWDSU 338 Editorial: Focus on Green Jobs.

Philadelphia residents can now earn hundreds of dollars and gift cards for recycling with the city's new "Recycle Rewards" program.

NY Labor Commissioner (Patricia Smith) gets the nod for Federal job.

Soda Tax
State Sen. Brian X. Foley (D-Blue Point) last week, led a rally of beverage industry workers against Governor Paterson's proposed 50 percent tax on soda and other drinks.  Thomas Cullen, Vice President of Government and Industry Relations for the King Kullen Grocery Company, said: "This tax on beverages is a regressive tax that will hurt families during difficult economic times. The retail food industry works hard to keep prices down for our customers, but this tax will severely drive up cost to consumers."

Obama's Budget funds Food Retailers in Underserved Areas.
In his 2011 budget proposal, President Barack Obama has called for over $400 million in investments in new and expanded supermarkets, farmers markets’ and other food stores. A public-€private grant and loan program would significantly reduce the roughly 23 million Americans with limited access to full‐service supermarkets and create thousands of retail and construction jobs in low-income areas. The investment, split among the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, includes $250 million in New Market Tax Credit allocations to encourage private investment in underserved communities.

Thursday Morning One Liners...FoodWorks NY is a hit,

“Unfortunately, while more and more chickens are cage free, many workers are still caged.”
Bruce Both, President, United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1500 – at Monday's F.R.E.S.H. Celebration.

Supermarket News covers Christine's Quinn's  FoodWorks New York initiative, and F.R.E.S.H.. 
Monday's F.R.E.S.H. celebration event was picked up by ABC, The Gothamist,  Crain's, NY1, & WNYC,

Kroger Co. stock took a beating Tuesday — falling nearly 12% to just over $20 — as the company reported a net loss of $874.9 million

Politico looks at UFCW's release of www.fixthebill.org, and attacks on the proposed Health Care bill's leniency towards Wal-Mart.


Stop and Shop is said to be looking at Wind Power.

Food Lion opened their 'greenest' store.

Ahold yesterday said said it has named Rick Herring division president of its Giant of Carlisle chain, based here. Herring is a 20-year veteran

Politics, City, Elsewhere

NYC: Shortage of Beds for Homeless. 

Yesterday, the NYC Council passed a watered down (weakened) initiative to reduce greenhouse gases throughout New York City.

Councilwoman Melinda Katz will join a law firm.

Patterson says former NY Governor Spitzer may work as Comptroller.

Monday Morning News...

Image by Jose P Isern Comas via Flickr

Chicagoans shopping at online grocer Peapod can buy their groceries for less than Ralphs customers can in Los Angles or D'Agostino customers in New York, according to a study released this week by research firm IBISWorld, based here.

Kroger has announced they have reached a tentative contract agreement with workers at 30 Dayton-area stores represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75.

New Yorkers fight for paid sick days.

WakeUpWalmart and Wal-Mart Watch have merged.

JC Penny opened their 153,000 sqft store in Manhattan.

One day after it failed to achieve a two-thirds majority vote in the U.S. House, the Food Safety Enhancement Act was passed yesterday by a vote of 283-142.

The Village Voice looks at the changes coming to Bushwick as a new 10,000 sqft shopping center opens with an Organic grocery store anchoring the center.

And the Whole Foods Gowanus site has been tagged up.

Politics

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East endorsed Bill de Blasio for New York City Public Advocate, and John Liu for New York City Comptroller.

Rudy Giuliani contemplates running for Governor.“I hope there’s no hope for the health care plan this year,” Rudy Giuliani said on Sean Hannity’s show.

New York Times: Cuomo playing the game of wait and see.

And Eric Gioia looks at the wide range of costs of drugs throughout NYC.

President Obama to meet with UFCW Local 400 Members on Health Care today....

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

President Obama Visits Kroger store to meet with Local 400 members today

(BRISTOL, VA) – President Barack Obama will hold health care town hall meeting at the Bristol, Virginia, Kroger grocery store today – Wednesday, July 29 at 4:00 pm. Workers at this store are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) Local 400, and are speaking out for quality, affordable health care for all.

“We’re honored and excited to host President Obama,” said Vera Lewis, a member of the UFCW and a floral designer at the Bristol Kroger. “Like President Obama says, health care reform can’t wait. We need a health care system that covers everyone and brings down costs now.”

UFCW members see the face of the healthcare debate every day across the nation. They work as pharmacists, in health care facilities, and in grocery stores like the Bristol Kroger. UFCW members see that average families are struggling and we need reform that will ease the burden on working families.

“UFCW members have sacrificed to protect quality health care at the bargaining table,” said UFCW Local 400 President Jim Lowthers. “Reform has got to level the playing field and put an end to irresponsible employers freeloading their health care onto responsible companies and the taxpayer. Our members are proud to stand with the President and say that now is the time for health care reform.”

UFCW Local 400 represents more than 40,000 workers across Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee and the District of Columbia. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail, meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries.

For more information, contact press@ufcw.org.

Happy Friday Morning One Liners...

Image via Wikipedia

Costco invades Harlem.

Toys 'R' Us is exploring groceries?

They're also promoting low price items in their stores.

Balducci's is closing a store...It's one of four closings the company will make by June of this year.

UFCW Local 555 files an unfair labor practice against Kroger.

Bruno's is asking federal bankruptcy judge to change their union contract in order to aid the sale of the company.

Jim Donald, former CEO of Starbucks and Pathmark gives some tips for tough times.

Brooklyn's Pomegrante is highlighted in Supermarket News for their Passover specialties.

Wage and Hour Watchers in New York City.

When a workers salary is lighter...

NY Times (Michael Barbaro): Grocery Workers to Back Bloomberg, Slighting Democratic Rival

In the first labor endorsement of the mayor's race, the union representing 12,000 of the city's supermarket workers will back Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for re-election....