What We're Reading Today: Monday, July 30th

A big last few days for Supervalu, they fired their CEO Craig Herket today, replacing him with Wayne Sales.  A few days prior a federal judge denied class-action status to retailers pursuing antitrust litigation against Supervalu and C&S Wholesale grocers after a 2003 asset swap.

In honor of the July 24th marking the last time the federal minimum wage was raised three-years ago, AlterNet looks at 7 big corporations raking in massive profits while paying their workers peanuts.   Walmart rakes in at number 2.

And here's 5 good reasons why raising the minimum wage is good for you and me.

Whole Foods says their decision to open in smaller cities is paying off.

More warehouse violations at Walmart, but there's no pattern of that.

ROC wants to know: Do you eat ethically? Take a look behind the kitchen door.

The legal battle that may halt Walmart from expanding in Burbank, California will go to trial Aug. 17.

Zellers will close at least 64 stores, after Target purchased the Canadian retailer.  The move is expected to lay-off 6,400 workers.  The Canadian UFCW President said in a release, Target shows the same disregard for retailer workers as Walmart.  We agree.

Rite Aid workers in SoCal are positioned to strike after rejecting the companies latest contract proposal.  The UFCW members voted to authorize a strike.

Workers Rising: A day of Action in NYC

Yesterday we joined thousands of union members, New Yorkers and activists for #RiseUpNY, a march from Herald Square to Union Square to fight for better jobs, pay and workers' rights. 

Check out our Facebook page for pictures or if you don't have Facebook, you can view the pictures here.

Thanks to all who turned out to make this inspiring event great!

What We're Reading Tuesday Morning: Amish Market gets Busted...Again

“But we believe that workers deserve a paid day off to care for their self or their loved one, without the risk of losing wages or being terminated. Paid sick days should be a basic workplace standard for all New Yorkers.”
 -UFCW Local 1500 Recorder Rhonda Nelson, in Paid-Sick-Leave Fight Escalates in NYC, Expands Across the Nation via In These Times. 

Target's PFresh remodels (yeah the one that closed the Valley Stream store for 7-months) are popping up all over the country, but no others are closing for that extended period of time, weird.  Here's a complete list of all their scheduled re modelings.

A few years ago UFCW Local 1500 was contacted by workers at Amish Market, we eventually helped win nearly $1.5 million in back-pay & unpaid overtime wages for a handful of workers at the chain of stores.  We knew these employers took advantage of their workers, but this week federal authorities charged the nine owners  w/ conspiring to hide $56 million in sales from the IRS.  Stealing wages from low-paid workers, hiding millions from the IRS, way to go guys!  More @ Supermarket News.

16 miles from NYC, Walmart eyes it's first Neighborhood Market in Jersey.

And their express city format store has failed. Walmart plans to close their Chicago Express store, one year to the day that it opened.  Talk about #WMTFail, they said they couldn't survive with a Supercenter nearby.  More @ Chicago Tribune.

Shake Your Head Story: Despite earning a record $4.9 billion profit last year, and projecting a better 2012, manufacturing giant Caterpillar is pushing a six-year pay freeze on workers and a pension freeze for most of the 780 production workers.  But miraculously they did find a way to raise executive compensation including giving CEO $17 million.  Check more @thinkProgress.

Worst Employer in America? Systematically attacking housekeepers? Global Boycott of Hyatt launched, supported by NFL Players Association, AFL-CIO, NOW, Netroots Nation and more. Check out www.hyatthurts.org and find out more.


Must Read: Excellent editorial by the awesome Hamilton Nolan from Gawker: Time to Tie Executive Pay to Worker Pay.

#BringJobsHome: Call Your Senators Today!

The AFL-CIO is running an online action right now! We need to bring jobs back to America to help rebuild our middle class!  If you need to know why we need more American jobs, here's some quick facts.  You can call your Senators sat 888-659-9401 and urge them to support the Bring Jobs Home Act.  Then tweet at your Senators, telling them to support the bring jobs home act!

You can find your Senator on Twitter at www.tweetcongress.org

Sample tweets from supporters:

RT @AFLCIO: Your taxpayer dollars are being used to pay for companies to ship jobs overseas. But that can end today. #BringJobsHome RT!

RT @CWAUnion: We need laws that make it harder for companies like @TMobile to offshore our jobs like #BringJobsHome

.@SenRonJohnson vote for the #BringJobsHome Act to stop giving taxpayer money to outsourcers #outsourcing #1u #wiunion

@SenatorCardin: Our tax code should not reward companies for moving jobs overseas- Ben #BringJobsHome

RT: @SenGillibrand: Proud to co-sponsor #BringJobsHome Act to reward cos that return #jobs to the US. Thx Sen. @stabenow for your leadership on this impt issue.

Thanks! RT: @sengillibrand: I strongly support the #BringJobsHome Act & urge my colleagues to do the same. It's time to end outsourcing & start #insourcing. 

What We're Reading Today:

Ahold has a new EVP of Marketing.

Local 342's credit union has merged with Bethpage Federal Credit Union. More @ Patch.

Judges are in no rush to make a decision on Walmart's bribery suit.

We joined many of our friends & allies yesterday at City Hall rallying for paid sick days in NYC.

Whole Foods opened their first store in Iowa this week.