Release: NYS Independent Dems Must Pass Minimum Wage

New York Grocery Workers Union Calls On Independent Senate Democrats to pass Minimum Wage Without Delay

Urges IDC to Join with 27 Other State Democrats and "Help the Poorest in Our Society"

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 1500, New York State's largest grocery workers union with over 23,000 members, called on the New York State Independent Democratic Conference to join with the New York State Senate Democratic Conference and pass a minimum wage bill with indexing "without further delay."

"If New York working families are to truly believe that Albany has indeed changed, then 32 Senate Democrats coming together and taking action that will help lift hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers from the poverty wages they earn today must happen without delay," said Bruce W. Both, President of UFCW Local 1500.

"Leaders of both Democratic conferences have now said that they support a minimum wage of $9.00 an hour with indexing.  Therefore the math is simple: twenty seven Democrats plus five Independent Democrats equals economic relief for the poorest in our society," Both continued, "There is no moral reason to delay this bill one day longer and only petty politics at this point could stand in the way of true economic justice for hard working New Yorkers."

UFCW Local 1500 members working in stores located as far east a Montauk and as far north as Rhinebeck have been actively involved in the campaign to raise the minimum wage and have signed thousands of postcards in support. Those postcards were delivered to New York Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein at a press event in early February.

"Sometimes even in Albany things come together and present themselves as a clear, irrefutable opportunity to help the poorest in our society. This is one of those times," said Patrick Purcell, Assistant to the President for UFCW Local 1500.

"The majority of both New York State's legislative branches have spoken clearly on the need for a $9.00 minimum wage. Delays at this point will only renew a feeling of cynicism that politics and self interest still triumph over what is right for New York working families. We cannot return to those days," Purcell concluded.

###

UFCW Local 1500 represents 23,000 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by Pathmark, King Kullen, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, Key Food. Fairway, D'agastinos and Shop Rite.

We Stand In Solidarity w/ New England UFCW Stop & Shop Workers

Current Stop & Shop fruitbowl logo, shared with Giant-Landover (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

UFCW Local 1500 leadership and our 23,000 members are standing in solidarity with our 33,000 brothers and sisters working at Stop & Shop, represented by UFCW Locals 328, 371, 919, 1445, and 1459 during contract negotiations still continuing ongoing.

 “All of us in the UFCW must stand with the New England Locals and help them secure the best possible contract for their members,” said Secretary-Treasurer Anthony Speelman Even though negotiations were still taking place, Stop & Shop choose to place ads in newspapers seeking to hire replacement workers in the case of a strike or lockout as a scare tactic.

 “The threat to hire replacement workers by Stop and Shop always has and always will fail to scare or divide UFCW members in any part of the Country,” said Speelman “ I guarantee you that any attempt to do that in Local 1500’s negotiations this Fall will be met with a forceful response from the New York State labor movement.”

http://ufcwstopandshopnegotiations.com/

 Members can show their support for the new England Stop and Shop workers by sending a tweet @UFCWUnited, visting them at http://ufcwstopandshopnegotiations.com or liking them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UFCWStopShopNegotiations

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.

The Building Blocks Project

Image via Wikipedia A campaign geared towards taking action against the current Supermarket crisis throughout the five boroughs. The project is called the 'Building Blocks Project'. Here's a quick synopsis of Local 1500's project, if you would like to get involved just follow this link and sign up!

The lack of affordable and quality food available to consumers through traditional Supermarkets has reached crisis levels. Communities are affected both economically and with health related problems. Good jobs are being lost due to store closings, and we are failing to create new jobs through new supermarket development. Diabetes, obesity and heart related illnesses are at epidemic levels.

Through our Building Blocks Project, we intend to form a long-term coalition of labor unions, healthcare professionals, hunger and nutrition advocates, food access experts, elected leaders, community activists and faith-based leaders to ensure that all communities have the basic Building Blocks of good food, good jobs and good health. When a community is built upon this foundation, it produces positive results for all residents of New York State.