Top 13 Stories This Week: Republicans Crush It, Voters Want High-er Wages

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Over $100 Million Spent in Midterm Elections by Koch Brothers and Republicans

The most expensive midterm election by far was this week, and it seems to have paid off for the Koch Brothers and Republicans....Even more, they aren't done, the Freedom Partners Action Fund has already plunked down $2.1 million for the Louisiana runoff.

LOCAL FEATURE

Negotiations began with King Kullen last week, and will begin with Stop & Shop next week.

WHAT'S NEWS THIS WEEK 1. NYS Senator Gillibrand sits down with Stephen Colbert for Post Election Interview Hear her reaction to the election, and her plans for New York. 2. Costco, Publix Lead Way: Not Opening on Thanksgiving The two mega retailers are refusing to open on Thanksgiving.

3. Throwback UFCW Ad Surfaces on Facebook Checkout this old advertisement, produced by our President, Bruce Both, & Secretary-Treasurer, Tony Speelman, in the early 90's.

4. Where's the Loot? Special Report Reveals Hundreds of Companies Dodging Taxes thru Luxembourg FedEx, Pepsi, Ikea & hundreds of other companies channel 100s of billions thru Luxembourg to save billions in taxes.

5. Oil Prices are Dropping...So What? The global oil supply has increased and demand has weakened, prices are down to about $80 a barrel, a more than 25 percent drop since June, and recently fell to a three-year low.

6. John Boehner and Mitch McConnell Pledge to Repeal Obamacare. DailyKos: Go For It. Politics Round Up: Oakland Minimum Wage Wins in Land-Slide San Fran Minimum Wage Voted in @ $15 per hour Alaska, DC, Oregon Legalize Marijuana Democrats: Winning Issues, Losing Candidates Supermarket Industry Reacts to Election Voters Favor Higher Wages, Sick Days

7. Four States Vote to Raise the Minimum Wage The wage increase won its biggest margin of victory in Alaska, where it garnered 69 percent of the vote. In Arkansas, it received 65 percent; in Nebraska, 59 percent approved raising the minimum wage, while in South Dakota, the margin was 53 percent.

8. Trumka Calls on Obama for Immediate Action on Immigration Wasting no time after the midterm elections, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka immediately stepped back into the policy arena, calling on President Barack Obama to take executive action on immigration.

9. Fairway Sales Up 5.9%, but Lower Margins

10. San Fran Cab Drivers Officially Join Union...Take Aim @ Uber, Sidecar

A group of San Francisco cabdrivers in mid-August voted to unionize for the first time in decades. Three weeks ago, the alliance passed the 550 paid members requirement and the affiliation ceremony by the National Taxi Workers Alliance took place Monday, enabling members to access union resources when the taxi industry most needs them.

11. Analysts are Up on Whole Foods

12. Delhaize to Sell Bottom Dollar to Aldi

The group announced Thursday in Brussels that it has signed an agreement to sell Bottom Dollar Food's 66 store locations in the greater Philadelphia and greater Pittsburgh markets to Aldi for approximately $15 million.

Related: Market Basket Walkout Boosts Delhaize Sales

13. Local 880 Signs Contract with Giant Eagle, Heinens

Editorials of the Week:

It Shouldn't Take Congress to Raise the Minimum Wage

Why is Congress needed to force corporations to help build our nation?

An L.A. Story: Unions Show a Sign of Life

A profile of Unite Here member: Gabriela Ochoa is a vivacious woman who buses tables at the Landings Restaurant at the Holiday Inn near Los Angeles International Airport, a job she has held since 2001.

Photo of the week via State Dems:

Weekly News: One Million Women vs Walmart, 3 Month Mott's Strike on CBS News

CBS News:  Mott's Demands Pay Cuts Despite $555M Profit

Three hundred union members are locked in a heated dispute, symbolizing a new shift in the powe struggle between management and labor in America.

More from AFL CIO Blog: Mott's Corportation Greed: Rotten to the Core

A Million Women VS. Wal-Mart

The world's largest private employer will try to shoot down the largest employment discrimination class- action lawsuit in American history. 

Wal-Mart Plans China Push

The mega retailers is preparing for the United States to lose its title as the world's largest economy to China in coming years and plotting ways to take advantage of the growing middle class in the world's most populous nation. 

Ending Slave Labor: Will Trader Joe's Agree to Fair Food?
Trader Joe's, as well as other grocery chains, have yet to sign on to the Fair Food Campaign to protect farm workers and provide livable wages. 

The Upper East Side will get a Fairway: Fairway to Open Upper East Side Location in fall 2011


Great Atlantic Mulling Sale of Food Emporium Chain
The supermarket operator has said it will consider selling "non-core assests" to improve liquidity. 


Stop & Shop Slams A&P in Lawsuit Response
The drama continues, In response to a lawsuit filed, Stop & Shop said that advertisements comparing its prices with A&P were not misleading. 


Big Y to Buy 7 A&P Stores
Big Y Foods said Wednesday it has agreed to acquire seven A&P supermarkets in northern Connecticut. 


State Will Help Fill Gap For ShopRite Supermarket
Somerville, NJ-- The state of New Jersey will help bridge the gap between what the banks will lend and the amount needed to convert the little, old Pathmark into a big, new ShopRite.


ShopRite Launches Retail Grocery Andriod App
"Our customers are on-the-go more than ever, and by teaming up with MyWebGrocer we continuue to make their busy lives easier," - ShopRite VP of marketing Cheryl Williams.

Publix Tests Grocery Curbside Pickup

Customers can pre-order their groceries online, and pick them up at a special curbside pickup spot at the store.

CNN: Democrats to the President: Get a Clear Message
"It just seems like there's a disconnect right now with how Obama is trying to move his agenda and how it really will help people,"- Tony Helfer, President of UFCW Local 23


Union Representatives Protest Outside Bridgeton IGA
Bridgeton, NJ-- Representatives of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 152 are accusing the owner of unfair labor practices. 

Monday Morning One Liners...

Aquaina is charging $2.99 for 24-pack of bottled water.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The Castleton Corners King Kullen (Staten Island) supermarket originally scheduled to close today will remain open through the middle of January, according to a representative for the landlord. 

Stop & Shop will pull the plug on 43 in-store Starbucks.

Publix is opening a hybrid organic store.

A new survey shows that women are gloomier than men about the economy.

Bottled water manufacturers are cutting prices to compete with consumers who have turned to tap water and brita to cut costs and reduce environmental wastes. 

Time Magazine looks at the website 'People of Wal-Mart'

Wal-Mart development defeated in Manor, Pennsylvania.