Shop Rite Contract Update

ShopRite (United States) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We are glad to report that all three Shop Rite companies (Glass, Mannix & SRS) have been engaging in faithful, fair bargaining with your Union negotiating committees.

The only issue that has come up is scheduling the next negotiating sessions.

Both company and Union officials remain confident a contract agreement will be reached, however due to various issues, including all three companies using the same attorney and Wakefern bargaining representative, scheduling negotiation sessions has been difficult. An SRS contract negotiation session was just scheduled for September 29th. However, the majority of negotiations will not continue until early October.

The most important takeaway: You will not be working without a contract.

All three companies are faithful and eager to negotiate a new contract. They have signed contract extensions and your rights and benefits are secured.

As the next negotiation dates are scheduled or any news breaks we will let you know. In the meantime please encourage your coworkers to sign up for email and mobile updates and please do not hesitate to contact your Union Representative by phone or email if you have any questions.

Local 1500 Toy Drive Helps Hundreds of New York Families in Need

Union Rep. Stone Vargas with Shop Steward Carol Graziadio, from Stop and Shop 529

Since November, United Food and Commercial Local 1500 Members have been collecting and donating toys for families in need for the upcoming holiday season.  "We and our members love doing anything possible to help our communities," Secretary-Treasurer Tony Speelman said, "That's what being in a union is about, sticking together and helping our communities, that's the very fabric of our union." 

Nearly 1,000 toys were donated to the John Theissen Foundation, headquartered in Wantagh, NY.    Since 1992, the foundation has collected over 550,000 new toys and donate them to sick and underprivileged children in over 185 hospitals and child-care facilities across New York year round.

Additionally two Brooklyn ShopRite stores took part in a toy donation challenge.  The two stores competed since November on which could gather more toy donations.  The challenge ended earlier this week between ShopRite 289 and ShopRite 219, with 289 squeaking by with the win.  "The only real winners in this competition are the families receiving these gifts and both stores for doing an outstanding job collecting toys for families in need.  The competition was a fun little incentive for bragging rights, it was great to see everyone working for a greater good," said Rob Ecker, Union Rep.

We'd like to thank all of our outstanding members and Shop Stewards for taking the time this holiday season to give back to our communities.  Great work, you've made many families holiday season more enjoyable this year!

More on John Theissen:

My name is John Theissen. In 1992, I founded The John Theissen Children’s Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization. When I was 17 years old I was hospitalized for a brain tumor at a local children’s hospital. During my stay, my family and I befriended a seven-year old girl named Tasha. This little girl was in and out of the hospital throughout the year receiving different treatments for her illness. She received very little family support. She was dropped off and then picked up again when it was time to go home without having a visitor.

Hundreds of toys donated by UFCW

Tasha was very excited about a holiday party sponsored by the hospital staff and was expecting her family to attend. They unfortunately did not. I was still too ill but my family agreed to take her. When Santa asked her what she had wanted, Tasha replied, “ I would like a teddy bear for friend upstairs.” I felt fortunate to be that friend. Her positive attitude and generous spirit inspired me. When I got out off the hospital I wanted to help children just like Tasha.

In 1992, I held a toy drive during the holidays to benefit children in local hospitals. During the first toy drive, I collected over 800 hundred new toys in just two weeks and brought them to three different hospitals. Well that was the beginning of what has become a year round organization. Since 1992, we have collected over 550,000 new toys and donate them to sick and underprivileged children in over 185 hospitals and child-care facilities across Long Island year round. We also donate therapeutic and recreational equipment. Donations enabled us to fulfill wishes and help families with medical expenses. In 15 years, we have never said no to a child in need.

ShopRite Contracts Ratified

UFCW's OnPoint, a weekly synopsis of what's going on within the UFCW nation wide, covered the ShopRite vote.  Here's what they had to say below:

Last week, UFCW Local 1500 members who work in over 15 ShopRite stores in the greater New York area ratified new three-year contracts. The new agreements provide for wage increases, premiums for part-timers and full-timers, improved working hours for night crews, and preserve pensions. The new agreements also recognize same-sex marriage. The contracts cover over 3,100 ShopRite workers. 

“We’re extremely proud of our negotiating committees,” said UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both. “Their com- mitment to their union and to bettering their coworkers’ lives achieved higher wage increases and premiums for full and part-timers. That’s what made this a success. These contracts will guide us into negotiations with Stop & Shop and King Kullen in December.”

This Week's Top 11 Stories: Walmart Costs Taxpayers $6.2 billion, MTA Close to Deal

FEATURED

 

So Much For Savings: Walmart Costs Taxpayers $6.2 billion

Walmart’s low-wage workers cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $6.2 billion in public assistance including food stamps, Medicaid and subsidized housing, according to a report published to coincide with Tax Day, April 15.

Read more @ Forbes

 

After 2 Years, MTA, Union Closing in on Deal

34,000 NYC subway & bus workers near deal for 8% raise over 5 yrs. Governor Cuomo abandons push for 3-yr pay freeze. @NYTimes

WHAT'S NEWS THIS WEEK   1.  When 'Liking' A Brand Online Voids the Right to Sue A new General Mills policy says if you use coupons or 'like' a brand online, you give up your right to sue. @NYTimes   2. Bangladesh Union Organizers Allege Intimidation Bangladeshi labor activist Hasina Akter said she was signing up workers during a unionization drive at a garment-factory dormitory in Dhaka when a group of men burst in, beat her, tore her clothes and threatened to rape her.  Read more @WSJ

3. Inserra to Open 1st Independent PriceRite An independent member of the Wakefern Food Corp. will open a discount store this summer in New Jersey.  Wakefern also opened a new food warehouse this week.

4. Report: Fresh Direct Offers Best Online Experience

5. ShopRite to Open Pharmacy in Hospital

6. Canada Faces similar Job Problems, 1 in 4 New Jobs went to Temp, Foreign Workers

7. What's the Impact of Walmart in the Organic Market?

8. Checkout the latest edition of UFCW OnPoint

9. UFCW Local 1500, First Union to Endorse Adam Haber Newsday has the exclusive coverage of the endorsement

10. Key Food Negotiations Resume Next Week

11. NYC Mayor Shares Same Passion to Organize Car Wash Workers in City

Three cheers to our brothers and sisters at the RWDSU!

 

 

Holiday Bonus. Make Easter & Passover Union, American-Made!

Checkout some union made products that might surprise you

Top News April 11:

FEATURED

 

UPS Re-Hires 250 Drivers, Fired for Walk-Out Work Stoppage

After refusing to back down from its decision to terminate 250 drivers, UPS on Wednesday agreed to give them back their jobs. The Atlanta-based company faced criticism for its stance, but then reached an agreement with the union to re-hire the drivers who work from a depot in Maspeth, Queens.

Read more @ Labor Notes

WHAT'S NEWS THIS WEEK   1. Mom's Take on Walmart...And Win! Under pressure from mothers working in their stores and women’s groups, Walmart recently altered its policy around accommodating pregnant women   2. Walmart's Next Goal: Organic Foods. In a move to directly compete with Whole Foods, Walmart, the nation's largest seller of groceries, aims to drive organic food prices down. Read more.

3. ShopRite SRS, Mannix Agreements Reached The new contracts will be reviewed and voted on 4/22 and 4/23

4. 7 Reasons to Raise the Minimum Wage Robert Reich explains how $10.10 is a nice start, but we're far from a fair wage.

5. Fairway Debuts New Soap Line

6. Stop & Shop Treats Hospitalized Kids to Easter Lunch

7. To Stay Ahead of Minimum Wage, Restaurants are Raising Working Standards While restaurant operators across the country are grappling with higher local minimum wage rates or bracing themselves for a possible boost in the federal minimum wage, some restaurateurs have voluntarily lifted employee wages.

8. Make Easter & Passover Union, American-Made! Checkout some union made products that might surprise you

9. Next Up on Fighting for Fair Wages & Benefits: NFL Cheerleaders NFL Cheerleaders aren't paid minimum wage and sometimes are paid in cash.  Read the alarming report.

10. In Wake of Protests, Walmart Workers Find More Hours in Reach

Victories for Walmart Associates fighting for change this week.

Top 10 Industry Labor Stories From This Week

Our thoughts, prayers and love go to all affected in the ongoing Boston Marathon tragedy.  Our uttermost thanks go to Boston's first responders for their bravery.

— TOP 10 INDUSTRY/LABOR NEWS ARTICLES FROM THIS WEEK —

1. Bangladesh Factory Fire Workers are battling Walmart for compensation.  They're not going to get it though, Walmart refused.  The factory fire killed over 112 workers at a garment factory tailoring clothing for Walmart.

2. Local unions throughout Boston are offered a $50k award for any tips that lead to arrest of the marathon bomber.

3. Stop & Shop makes a $500k donation to Boston Fund.

4. Walmart has made over $400,000 in political contributions to New York since 2010, a move that bought them a sweet heart provision in the new Minimum Wage reform.  The subsidy was never announced publicly and is expected to provide big retailers like Walmart millions of dollars each year. It would also give Walmart a tax-credit to replace their seasoned workforce with inexperienced teenagers at minimum wage.

5.  Must read by Josh Eidelson: 'I Jumped to Save My Body': Walmart Slammed over Nicaragua Stabbings & Bangladesh Fire killing over 100.  You should really check this story out,  it is an alarming reality of what it's like to make the clothes sold at thousands of Walmart stores across the globe.

6.  Fairway Stock Soars in their opening week as a public company.

7.  ShopRite is opening  at a former Delaware Pathmark site.

8.  A&P announces a closing of another Food Emporium in Manhattan.

9.  Cutting the Budget, Leaving Us Dry: Michelle Chen sums up wonderfully how the working poor aren't feeling positive effects from the economic "bounceback" and how Social Security cuts won't help.

10.  No NLRB, No Voice! Last week Congress essentially told working Americans to drop dead. House Republicans pushed through a dangerous bill that would paralyze the National Labor Relations Board, blocking the only path that workers have to workplace justice.

Weekly News Bites: September 28, 2012

Suggested reading for week of September 23, 2012:

via Warehouse Workers United:
Walmart Warehouse workers are back on the job! After 15 days on strike all workers were back at work by 12:30 Friday morning, winning safety improvements and a response from Walmart! Congratulations!

Great Report: Strikes at Walmart Warehouses expose threats in supply chain via Labor Notes

In San Diego, Walmart is driving to plow through historic land to build a new store.

Analysts believe China's problems will hurt Walmart, McDonald's bottom line.

Analyst view: Walmart's high cost trip to India, may not pay off.

Companies are reexamining their Social Media policies after a NLRB judge ruling.

Fan outrage trumps owners' greed, ends NFL Referee lockout.

Trader Joe's announced they'll be only selling antibiotic-free meat.

Fairway Market is seeking a $3.7 million tax relief for a bakery facility in the Bronx.

Fresh Direct is expanding to Philly.

Whole Foods' stock hit a new high this week.

The AFL-CIO Blog outlines what's at stake this election for Latinos.

Bill Clinton asked Walmart CEO, Mike Duke, if they'd open a store in Libya.

ShopRite pioneer, Joseph Saker, passed away this week.

Excellent report from The Rolling Stone: The Presidential Race Should Have Never Been This Close.

And the Romney HQ is already conceding the first Presidential Debate, even though it's days away.

What 2 Read on Tuesday

The NY Observer asks, just how desperate Walmart is to get into NYC.

Fairway Market has filed papers to go public.

The world's largest ShopRite opened in PA.
In case you missed it: Senator Sanders on the six Walmart Heirs: Waltons' wealth = 40% of Americans.  vimeo.com/46837120

NELP (National Employment-Law Project) just released a report finding big companies pay the lowest wages.  Target ranked in at #4, while you guessed it, Walmart came in at #1 on the list of largest employers paying the lowest wages.

FactCheck.org found out that Romney's "awesome" tax plan is mathematically impossible.  Also, Romney's campaign continues to edit Obama video clips to their liking.

Another report on what the potential aftermath of Supervalu CEO change could mean for unions.

Labor Press: Arizona's Immigrants and Unions (UFCW Local 99) Organizing against "Show Me Your Papers" Law.

Unions like the Food and Commercial Workers Local 99 in Phoenix and Tucson have been spurred by the law to negotiate contract language that requires employers to notify the union at the same time as they notify the member of any immigration-related actions taken against them, giving them time to find legal counsel. In addition the union has also secured a 90-day window for the worker to make sure documents are up to date

What We're Reading Monday: Rally for Locked Out Con Edison Workers

The Wall Street Journal wants to know: What's Wrong with America's Supermarkets?

The NLRB slammed Tesco for their anti-union coupons, the coupons apologized to customers for union picket lines.

Bronx residents are flocking to Queens to apply for jobs w/  Fresh Direct, as the company plans to open a new warehouse in the Bronx in 2013.

A study pronounced Target pays more attention to social media and responds more frequently than Walmart.

Target & Walmart are on a Canadian hiring binge.

Unbelievable: US Olympic Team Uniforms Made in China. 

Huffington Post Op-Ed on our own USA Olympic team not purchasing American made gear for the opening ceremonies. Ugh.  Update: 2014 uniforms will now be made in America due to outcry, Romney says "it doesn't matter."

Mass Labor March Tomorrow, July 17, 2012 at 5:30 PM to support the locked out Con Edison workers. Here's a list of all the solidarity support sites.  Sign the petition online to support the 8,500 locked out workers here.


ShopRite bought a gas station in Albany to compete with Price Chopper.

SaveMart in Cali has reached a settlement with UFCW Locals 5, 8 and 648.  More @ Patch. Here's the UFCW statement.

Commentary: Union Organizing is Community Organizing in Brooklyn @ Golden Farms.

The support of NYCC and the unions couldn’t have come at a better time for Golden Farm workers. Overtime and wage and hour violations are prevalent at the community grocery, and the clear violations forced Mr. Kim to settle the aforementioned 2011 class action lawsuit. Prior to the election, Mr. Kim forced employees to meet with an anti-union consultant.

Oregon's cannabis tax makes the ballot in November, why is this in here? UFCW 555 was a major supporter of this initiative.

Whole Foods is planning layoffs in Illinois.   They're also suing Vitamin Shoppe over a campaign slogan: "Core Health Starts Here" which they claim is too similar to Whole Foods notorious slogan "Health Starts Here"

Acme's parent company said the supermarket chain may explore more options as sales are continually down,  Local 1776 President said bankruptcy does not appear imminent.

New York City Taxi Drivers received an overdue raise last week.

Head shaking story of the week: Aldi in Europe destroyed a row of 300-year old cottages under historical preservation while "developing" a new store, they won't be fined or penalized although because it's "too expensive to fine them". 

Tuesday Mornin' One-Liners: A N.Y. Walmart is Infested w/ Rodents, A&P to Localize Stores

Updated 5/29/12 11:58 PM 

UFCW Local 1189 will be having a union election at Aldi.

Fairway Market will be moving into an old Pathmark at Woodland Park, NJ.

The Record: Sam Martin: The man with the plan to save A&P.

Supermarket News takes a look at initiatives to help food deserts.

New York's Iron Workers have a new contract.

A new ShopRite opened in Baltimore, bringing 250 new jobs to the neighborhood.


Walmart shareholders were urged not to re-elect Mike Duke as CEO.  Meanwhile U.S. lawmakers are frustrated with Walmart's lack of cooperation in the Mexican bribery investigation.

The Walmart in Sullivan, New York, has failed its' 4th health inspection, the store is infected with rodents.  The store could shut down if they fail a 5th.

On April 25, inspectors found 9 pounds of defiled food, more than 1,000 fresh droppings behind the chips and snacks, and three dead mice carcasses. On March 2, mouse droppings and mouse trails were found around the soda, pet foods and bread aisle. On Jan. 3, inspectors found 35.9 pounds of defiled food and 1,000 fresh mouse droppings behind the peanut and snack racks.

The Business Insider asks if this is the 'Most Disgusting Store in the Country?'

The Chicago Tribune wonders what affect the Mexican bribery scandal will have on Walmart's annual company party.

More: Controversy looms on Walmart's 50th anniversary.

A&P is expanding "Localized Remodels" starting with the Food Emporium on the Upper East Side.

Supermarket News analyzes that fresh store formats are growing, while traditional supermarkets are shrinking...

The Minnesota Star Tribune's Jim Spencer wrote on Target in Valley Stream's re-vote: Union still faces difficult odds against Target.

Workday Minnesota loves writing about Target workers getting a re-vote in Valley Stream.

The highly scrutinized NLRB's Flynn resigned this weekend.  Earlier this year NLRB Inspector General issued reports which detailed Flynn dispersing detailed, confidential information about NLRB cases and procedures in order to discredit the National Labor Relations Board.

Wednesday Morning News Briefs: Stop & Shop's Ridiculous Social Media Policy, Honoring Dr. King

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last week we filed charges with the NLRB against Stop & Shop's social media policy.  "It's our belief that Stop and Shop has implemented a social media policy that is vague, overboard and in violation of the civil rights of our members employed at their stores," said Secretary-Treasurer Tony Speelman.

The news of the charge got some media attention:

The Brand Channel called it a "a closely watched case that could impact employees' use of social media," The New Haven Register, ABA Journal, Law 360, Delaware Employment Law Blog, Lexis-Nexis, Inside Counsel, News & Insight,  Perishable News and Thompson Reuters all covered the filing.

A 73-year Suffolk County old woman is suing the world's largest retailer, Walmart, for age discrimination. More @ NYPost.

Great news, Walmart looks to source more farm items from India.  They're also close to winning their battle to open marketside shops in San Fran.

The Economic Populist writes how Walmart's Low Prices Bear High Costs for Americans.


Walmart and Pathmark were voted America's worst supermarket chains.

Switching over from an A&P store front isn't the solution either, in Maryland operators who took over for shuttered A&P stores are having lots and lots of difficulty says a report from Supermarket News.

H-Mart, the Asian-American chain takes over for a shuttered Pathmark in Hartsdale, NY.

Align is Challenging Walmart's New York expansion.

Walmart is also asking for community input from all communities they're trying to set up shop in, all except New York, fuggedaboutit.

Customers were handed this handbill last week

What's going on at Target Valley Stream? Well they're closing the store this month and last week we held an action to gain public support to keep the store open.

The New Amsterdam News & Think Progress wrote on the store closing.

In Canada, Target is trying to fire all former employees (some of them unionized) of the company they bought out, Zellers, the UFCW is fighting against it.

Last week we met with our Canadian brothers and sisters to discuss Target, and the Walmartization of Target stores.

Bargaining 
Local 1262 OK'd a new contract with ShopRite & Stop and Shop.

Local 400 ratified a contract with Giant, Safeway yesterday.  More @ The Washington Post.

Contract negotiations between Foxwoods Resort Casino management and the union for some 2,200 table-games dealers are about to enter an arbitration phase with the sides far apart on wages, health insurance and other issues.

American Airlines is asking a bankruptcy judge to break their union contracts, impose cuts on workers.

Social Justice: 89,000 PA kids in poverty were slashed from Medicaid.

Aldi has opened its second Long Island store in Lake Grove, read more at Newsday.

More Long Island news, Best Yet has launched a new banner: Best Market.

NY1: Compromise may have scaled down the soon to be passed living wage bill.

UFCW President Joe Hansen calls for a Congressional Investigation on NLRB leaks.

The New York Observer says bigger isn't always better, highlighting Target's and Walmart's new strategy for smaller format stores.

The NY Daily News looks at RWDSU/Make the Road's campaign to organize New York's Car washers.

44 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot.  We eternally honor him.

Monday Mornin' One-Liners: #OWS & Labor, Walmart's Health Plan Gets Worse

Good Monday Morning! Below are relevant NY grocery industry news stories for today:

Stop & Shop signs a lease for a new store in Purchase, NY.

Ben & Jerry's newest ice cream, Schweddy Balls, has been banned by Stop & Shop.

In Europe, rumors of Aldi's plans to sell beer for a buck in 2012 have people angry.

The highly criticized Walmart health plan is changing, for the worse: Wal-Mart is substantially rolling back coverage for part-time workers and significantly raising premiums for many full-time staff.  This is due to "rising costs", meanwhile the five Walton heirs who are listed in the Forbes 400 Billionaires list are worth a total of $86.4 billion.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn slammed Walmart on Friday after learning of the Health Care cuts.


UFCW International President Joe Hansen released a statement on Walmart's Health plan changes, saying, "This lowering of working standards will have repercussions throughout the retail industry- particularly for part-time workers."


UFCW International also endorsed Barack Obama last week.

Editorial: Walmart shifts employee health costs to States.

Walmart could seek World Trade Organization relief in their controversial Massmart (South Africa) deal. 

USA Today wonders if Walmart's business problems in China are just an example of a growing trend for foreign retailers in China.

"Our Walmart" held a teach in at Occupy Wall Street last week.

Walmart workers Occupy Wall Street.

NBC, NY 1 & Crain's covered the Walmart teach in. 

Verizon workers marched with #OWS on Friday.

New poll shows over a third of Americans support #OWS.

AFL-CIO: Unions join Occupy Wall Street movement.

The Washington Post examines the uneasy alliance between #OWS protesters and the labor movement.

Fairway is teaming up with a local TV Chef to help public TV in Connecticut.

In Commack, Long Island, Pathmark leaves a big spot to fill.

A new ShopRite in Somerville, NJ, which replaced a closed Pathmark, has the community excited and hopeful for a revitalization of business.

A&P has been fighting to save a development in New Jersey, where the landlord was accused of soliciting other retailers & having reservations about the bankrupt company...Last week a judge adjourned the dispute, encouraging A&P and the landlord to settle out of court.  Another hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 14.

JBS workers in Minnesota vote in the UFCW!

Local 1500 raised over $9,000 for the Making Strides against Breast Cancer walk at Jones Beach.  Local 1500 member Jessica Goldstein was quoted, “We walk every year to show support from the union we work for,” in the Long Island report.

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.

Mornin' Read: Thursday April 28

John Castimatidis' Red Apple Group has submitted plans to develop in Coney Island. 500,000 square feet w/ 25,000 dedicated to retail.

ShopRite in New Dorp, Staten Island, keeps a dietitian on staff.


Working in These Times covers our new campaign to help the workers at Target.

New Yorkers gave Walmart CEO, Mike Duke, an NYC welcome, check the video here.  Crain's New York Business reported the protest also....

As the forum wound down, Mr. Murray, the Journal editor, said to Mr. Duke, “Mike, I hope you appreciate this rousing welcome to New York.”

NY Industry News Round Up: 4/19-4/21

Image via Wikipedia

 "We will not allow any employer, regardless of size, to attempt to take advantage of another employer's unfortunate circumstances.  We will not be divided on this, and stand ready with our sister UFCW and RWDSU Locals and their members..."

-A letter to all employers with CBA's with UFCW Locals representing A&P stores, check it out on our blog.

Bazzini (notorious peanuts from Yankee Stadium) is closing their manufacturing plant in the Bronx and moving to P.A., cutting 57 jobs.

DNAinfo says East Harlem shops are lame and residents want to shop local.

Students at NYU are standing up for Farmers' rights @ Trader Joe's.
The goal, she says, is to change Trader Joe's, not to sabotage it.
"I don't think it's a terrible company," she said. "I just think it's ridiculously secretive and its marketing is false." 

Locals from Fort Greene, Brooklyn, want more than just bread from their new Red Apple Supermarket.  The store is planned to create over 100 unionized jobs.

A Local 1500 represented ShopRite in Staten Island sold a winning mega millions lottery ticket on Friday worth $72 million. When the winner comes forward, the store will get $10,000.
The store owner, Kevin Mannix, plans to donate the bonus to three organizations that help the homeless and hungry.  Great job!

 ShopRite is helping to rebuild a Church and a Food Pantry in upstate NY. 

They [ShopRite] also rumored to be taking a new site up in the Captial Region.


A Stop & Shop in Queens provides emergency assistance to Kosher Food Pantry.


A new Stop & Shop is set to open next month in Oceanside, creating over 150 union jobs to the area.


Stop & Shop is also replacing their 'produce lighting'


More than 60,000 Southern California grocery workers are voting on whether to authorize a strike against some of the state's largest supermarket chains.

A study released on Monday by University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education found that increasing wages to $12 per hour would cost Wal-Mart $3.2 billion if applied to all workers across the United States. That amounts to about 1 percent of the company’s annual sales of $305 billion.  Read more @WorkinginTheseTimes.  More @ Huffington Post.

A Dover (Delaware) landlord is weary about his shopping center now that A&P's SuperFresh is up for sale.

Politics
Tell lawmakers 'don't make us work until we die!' In a new video message from the coalition, Strengthen Social Security, Don't Cut it!  Check it out @AFL-CIO's blog.


The Fifth Wisconsin recall petition is ready for filing.


While Republican lawmakers and right-wing talking heads try to demonize the union movement, physicians, nurses, flight instructors, technicians, bakers and more are the latest workers to choose a voice on the job with AFL-CIO unions.  Read more @ the AFL-CIO Blog.


Our next General Membership Meeting is June 8th, RSVP on Facebook!