Monday Mornin' One-Liners: 99% Spring & Whole Foods in BK x2

The UFCW has joined the 99% spring, a movement to train activists throughout the spring of 2012.

April 9-15 we will gather across America, 100,000 strong, in homes, places of worship, campuses and the streets to train ourselves in non-violent action and join together in the work of reclaiming our country. History is calling; it’s time to step up.

American Labor Leaders are planning a door-to-door approach to help Obama's presidential campaign.

Christine Quinn has said she cannot support a paid sick days bill. 

The bill “will cost us jobs and cost us small businesses and their future in these tough economic times,” Quinn added, again using the same words spoken in January.

Great read from The Open Salon: The War Against Economic Recovery, highlights our Target Change campaign, and how our road to economic recovery starts with businesses creating good jobs.

Ad Age looks at retail in a piece focused on Target, Walmart & Kohls in: 'Size Matters in Retail'

Whole Foods is coming to Brooklyn, again.  They'll be moving into the heart of Willyburg at 242 Bedford, a 2nd Brooklyn Site.

Last week we came out against the NY GOP Senate's move to repeal the Wage Theft Prevention Act, a bill designed to protect workers and ensure they're getting paid the correct wages, the Huffington Post picked up the story.

A&P announced they're emerged from bankruptcy last week, they also named a new CFO.

UFCW Local 8 began picketing at Fresh and Easy stores last week.  In These Times (a great working blog) writes more about the clash between Fresh & Easy and San Fran natives.

Walmart in South Africa: 503 jobs reinstated as conditions of merger.  

Must Read: Not a mobster or a monster, just a union activist.

This is not just my job. It’s my lifestyle: I am a union activist. Yup, I'm one of those “maniacs” marching out on the streets with a sign that reads “STRIKE.”  But while some critics have slammed union activists as “mobsters,” I sure don’t look like what they might expect: I wear floral dresses, pink lipstick and talk to workers about their rights over coffee and jelly donuts.

Update on RWDSU's campaign Wash NY: East Harlem car wash workers confront owner over pay and working conditions.

Couldn't make the General Membership meeting last week? Check out the recap in our Blog.

NY Industry News Briefs: 5/7-5/10

Image via Wikipedia

Stop & Shop's personnel is moving back to their new million dollar offices in Mass.

The Patriot News wonders if Rite-Aid can recover.

A recently closed Pathmark will remain a supermarket.

UFCW Local 1189 has held up a scheduled May 15th vote on a new grocery industry contract while the international union reviews the proposal.

A 70,000 sqft ShopRite is proposed in New Millford, NJ.

Whole Foods sets a new goal: 1,000 stores.  Currently they operate 304.

The Supreme Court in Canada, upholds the ban on Ontario Farm Unions.

South Africa, Walmart's next ambition, is arguing that Walmart's entry into the country must be met with strong conditions or rejected.

 Forbes Blog: Why Walmart is Bad for Africa. Wal-Mart’s global sourcing model will definitely force African suppliers to match the prices of companies from countries like China which thrive on cheap, low standard labor. The domino effect of this is far reaching.

A new report surfaced concluding that a Walmart in South Africa will cost and cut 4,000 SA jobs.

A former Walmart boss was grilled in a South African Tribunal about Walmart's stance on labor and unions.

Check out recent bargaining news @AFL-CIO's blog.

Friday News Briefs:

No matter how available wage data is sliced and diced, a single truth remains: a wage gap exists between male and female workers. On average, full-time female workers make 23 percent less than male full-time workers.
-Huffington Post, What's at Stake for Walmart vs. Women in Dukes Case.

Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, its victims, and lessons, 100 years later http://ow.ly/4mfEp

President Obama issued a proclamation and called on all Americans to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Triangle Fire.

What's at stake for Walmart vs Women in the Dukes case? Read the editorial by Fatima Goss Graves in the Huffington Post. 

Walmart South Africa Update: Unions and the government want guarantees about Massmart jobs and for Wal-Mart to commit to using mostly domestic suppliers.  Read more @ Reuters. 

UFCW Local 400 President Tom McNutt congratulated Wisconsin Judge Maryann Sumi for  issuing a temporary restraining order blocking the union-busting bill the Wisconsin Senate rammed through last week.

Target Corp. is suing a San Diego pro-gay marriage group to get it to stop canvassing outside its San Diego County stores, alleging its activists are driving away customers.

Related articles

• Fatima Goss Graves: What's at Stake for Women in Wal-Mart v. Dukes (huffingtonpost.com)

Tuesday Morning One-Liners:

Peapod is challenging Fresh Direct by beginning to deliver to Manhattan.  Read the Peapod Press Release.  More @ Supermarket News.  @PGrocer.

Al Norman of Sprawl Busters looks closely at WalmartNYC's "Polls".

A Mid-Western American, now living in South Africa, who has seen the effects Walmart has on small towns and Mom & Pops, has written a Letter to the Editor in South Africa, explaining how the mega-retailer will destroy businesses.

UFCW 880 is on strike at northern Ohio Rite-Aid stores. Read more @Cleveland.com.

#StandupAmerica

Governor John Kasich (Ohio), is demanding a news "black out", banning all reporters from, photography and video when he announces his State budget today.

Thursday's Mid Week One-Liners: Walmart Buys its Way into Africa, Will NYC be next?

"Despite the advent of democracy in 1994, South Africa remains one of the most inequitable societies in the world, said Tyotyo James, deputy-president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions.”The acquisition of 51% of Massmart by Walmart will cut out even more local ownership of one of the major retail players in the country."
After Walmart's 51% bid on the major retailer Massmart was approved this week. "Walmart buys its way into Africa"

In Walmart's latest PR move they've donated a bunch of $$ to Food Bank's and are now offering healthy food, thanks, it's 2011, guess that's a good year to start offering healthy food.

Small business poll finds Walmart is not welcome in NYC. [NY Daily News]

Here's eight reasons we should keep Walmart out of major cities.

Sources say that Stop and Shop is eying a former Shaw's site in New Haven, CT.

John Castimatidis, Gristedes Owner "Walmart is a real danger to the overall economy and character of NYC" read the entire Op-Ed in the NY Daily News.

Blog: Walmart is trying to invade NYC.  

A Walmart grows in Brooklyn, not if we can help it...

ABC News: Report, NYC Walmart would lower wages.

Yahoo! says it's only a matter of time for Walmart in NYC.

More media outlets are covering drug stores, Target and Walmart's desire to sell you groceries.

Walmart may team up with the UDC (University of District Columbia Community College) to combat many concerns with their flawed employment practices.

It's not just a domestic problem with Walmart, across the world they're notoriously known for exploitation of workers, in South Africa they're getting a lot of resistance for buying out the retail chain Massmart and attempting to monopolize the South African retail market.

Now that the Massmart deal cleared all the regulatory hurdles, a massive boycott is being planned for all Walmart/Massmart affiliated stores. [Financial Mail]

Yournabe: Small businesses don't want a Walmart, but are confident in retaining shoppers.

A&P's Q3 Results are "in line" with expectations. [Progressive Grocer]

A mayor in New Jersey has asked to residents to boycott a local (union) ShopRite, and it's flat out wrong.  Read the editorial here.

Target's CEO plans for Canada expansion.

Costco is receiving a $1 million tax break to open a store in Chicago.

A Williamsburg Duane Reade is offering beer on tap, yeah that says Duane Reade.

The Politicker has Mayor Bloomberg's complete 'State of the City' speech here.

Related articles

• The World's Smallest Walmart Opens At The University Of Arkansas (huffingtonpost.com)

Mid Week One Liners: Wage Theft Pevention Passes, Walmart looks to conquer South Africa

New York Legislature Passes Historic Wage Theft Protection Act: 

The Wage Theft Prevention Act (S8380/Savino - A11726/Heastie), has now passed both houses protecting thousands of hard-working men and women from unscrupulous employers who steal their earnings by paying less than minimum wage, misclassifying them as independent contractors, forcing them to work off the clock and various other schemes. This important legislation will increase penalties and strengthen enforcement of laws protecting workers from nonpayment and underpayment of wages.

Aldi rolls out larger stores, up to 18,000 square feet.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed the sweeping Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act by a 73-25 vote, setting the stage for reconciliation with a similar House version that passed last year. Now, there are reports saying the bill may hit a snag and get delayed.

New York City Council is planning on debating the impact a Walmart would have opening a store within NYC.  They'll be discussing the affects Walmart will have on small business and neighborhoods among other things.  The hearing is set for December 14.  Walmart has recently solicited black leaders for assistance getting into NYC.

More @ The Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Meanwhile in Washington D.C.,  Mom 'n Pop stores are afraid of Walmart.

Fairway is waiting to hear back from NYC for permission to put up signs for their Douglaston store, which plans on opening in the spring of 2011.

Walmart looks to conquer Africa as they offered to acquire 51% of the shares of Massmart Holdings Limited, the diversified South African retailer, for about $2.4 billion.

More: South Africa wakes up to Walmart.

Business Week: Walmart CEO Mike Duke talks to Charlie Rose.

Trader Joe's is opening their fourth Chicago store.

CVS is voluntarily pulling their reusable bags.

Thursday Morning One Liners

Unions in South Africa, are just as weary of Wal-Mart as we are in America.

More unusual trading for GAP (A&P).

A union representing warehouse workers and drivers demonstrated outside the headquarters of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. in Montvale Wednesday over a decision by C&S Wholesale Grocers to supply the grocer from out of state.

The move, which is expected in February, will affect about 1,500 jobs, including about 300 drivers and 900 warehouse workers represented by the Teamsters, said Al Rispoli, secretary/treasurer of Local 863 in Mountainside.
"A&P can matter by saying to C&S "Work it out with the union and keep the jobs here'," Rispoli said.

Communities surrounding Stamford are very excited about the new Fairway Market opening this November.

The Stamford Times is also very eager to check out the new Fairway.

"I look at this as a second chance to start from the bottom and grow with the company," said the 51-year-old former furniture mover and lifelong Stamford resident.

Joseph Grosso: Wal-Mart & New York City

New Yorkers, in other words, could use lower costs where they can be found. However what New York doesn’t need is yet more low-paying, high turnover jobs, particularly ones that can negatively impact better paying jobs and further the income polarization in a city already lacking a solid middle class. This is where Wal-Mart takes a lot more than it gives proving that the cost for lowest prices is too great.

So while Wal-Mart continues to try to get into NYC, they're also making a bigger pitch for even more stores in India. Part of the pitch is promising to buy from more local Indian farmers.



They're also being sued for alleged water pollution in Buffalo: A federal lawsuit has been filed against Walmart, the City of North Tonawanda and the state Department of Transportation alleging water pollution violations during initial site preparation for a planned Supercenter.

And an employee from New Dorp ShopRite competes for the title of best bagger.