Winter 2014 Steward Seminar 2013 United & Strong Coverage begins on page 7 Congratulations to raffle winners! Buy american! Winners received tickets to a Philadelphia Eagles game. All proceeds will benefit the Bryan D. Ross Foundation to assist families in need. Visit americansworking.com for information on finding American-made products. Support U.S. workers and help save jobs. 2nd Place 1st Place From left: Steward Pete Evangelidis, Beverly Vanor, shop winner Demetrius Matthews and steward at Acme in Union Representative Dave Salera. Runnemede, N.J. Evangelidis and Matthews work at Brown’s ShopRite on Oregon Avenue in Philadelphia, PA. UFCW Local 152 Unity Official Publication of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 152 Editor 3rd Place Brian String Lynn Morris of Mays Landing, pictured with 4th Place Union H EadqUartErs Secretary-Treasurer Judy Walsh of Acme Markets, Pennsylvania, 701 Route 50 Anthony Benigno. and Union Representative Joe Stathius Mays Landing, NJ 08330 (888) Join-152 Vol. 10, Issue 1 Irv R. String UFCW Local 152 Unity (ISSN: 1542-720X) is published quarterly by UFCW Local 152, Local 152 Scholarship Fund 701 Route 50 Mays Landing, NJ 08330 Periodicals postage paid at The Scholarship Fund will award $1,000 cash grants to eligible Trenton, NJ members or dependents of members who will be attending college POSTMASTER: Send address full-time this fall. changes to UFCW Local 152 Unity 701 Route 50 Determination of winners will be made based on school records, Mays Landing, NJ 08330 SAT scores, personal activities and need. Selections will be made Published by: on the recommendations of an outside independent committee. Call (888) 564-6152 with any questions or to request an application. Applications must be returned by March 31, 2014. No exceptions! 2 Winter 2014 General membership meeting, Dec. 3, 2013 Somers Point, N.J. Teddy Bear Drive 2013 Local 152 and The Arc Organization of Burlington County, N.J., held their annual Teddy Bear Drive in December, bringing joy to developmentally disabled children and adults. ! N Grievances filed or resolved: retirees’ Club O Upcoming meetings of the UFCW I 1st Quarter 2014 2014 to date Local 152 Retirees’ Club include: N U Monday, May 5 (Yellow room) 95 95 E Monday, July 7 (Luncheon) B Yellow Room meetings are at O Back pay and benefits the United Methodist Church, T restored to members: 3541 Pennsylvania Ave., Pennsauken, N.J. Luncheons are at the Coastline S Restaurant, 1240 Brace Road, Y 1st Quarter 2014 2014 to date A Cherry Hill, N.J. P $20,462.59 $20,462.59 For more information, contact Chairman T George Kerth at (856) 429-0237. I Winter 2014 3 rocery industry news G By Jeff Metzger A&P’s struggles continue ■ In this column, analyst Jeff Metzger looks at developments in the supermarket industry around the country. Focus on safety at Puratos am Martin. Nice guy. Assessing his talent is another matter. ocal 152 members working at the If you’re looking simply at his body of work in Puratos manufacturing plants in S the 42 months he led A&P, you’d have to say his Cherry Hill and Pennsauken, N.J., performance was poor, and perhaps that’s why Martin L are participating in weekly and joined the “excised” list of failed Tea Company executives monthly training sessions to improve who have held the CEO mantel over the past 15 years. workplace safety. As recent history shows, A&P doesn’t really need a rea - The training is a joint effort between the son to fire key executives or go through frequent reorgani - union and management, made possible by zations. Things seemingly happen randomly in Montvale, a grant from the New Jersey AFL-CIO. The N.J., and virtually all the time the results are the same — sessions take a proactive approach, accord - failure. ing to Union Representative Jerry Chudoff, In this case, the new boss is Greg Mays, a man with addressing equipment issues and potential plenty of grocery industry experience and one whose incidents before they become a problem. chances of restoring A&P’s image as a significant retailer are about as good as my being the Yankees’ next third base - man. And, according to the company, it is seeking to fill the chief executive slot with somebody new at some time in the future. So, while Sam Martin wasn’t the reincarnation of A&P founder George Huntington Hartford or Pathmark co- General membership meetings founder Herb Brody, don’t blame him for The Tea Com - for all Local 152 members pany’s recent miseries. That horror show has been playing Tuesday, March 25, 2014 daily in Montvale for more than 30 years. What made this recent blow-up more notable is that new owner Yucaipa Cos., a private equity firm that gained con - southern new Jersey (10 a.m. and 7 p.m.) trolled of A&P following its March 2012 exit from bank - VFW Post 2445, 914 E. Main St. ruptcy, promised much more. Maple Shade, NJ 08052 Twenty-two months after A&P’s bankruptcy ended, Yu - caipa has shown its true colors. Sure, it received the benefits shore area (10 a.m. and 7 p.m.) of A&P’s real estate portfolio (including the Food Empo - VFW Post 2189, 500 Bethel Road Somers Point, NJ 08244 rium units in Manhattan) and has no doubt taken advantage of tens of millions of dollars in weekly cash flow to help Pennsylvania area (10 a.m. and 7 p.m.) subsidize other businesses, but as a merchant and as a Ramada - Philadelphia/Northeast, 11580 Roosevelt Blvd. “good employer,” A&P’s perception is even worse than Philadelphia, PA 19116 what many believed was the nadir when the chain entered Chapter 11 in December 2010. delaware area (10 a.m. and 7 p.m.) Now it seems the final chapter is at hand. With rumors Embassy Suites Newark-Wilmington/South, swirling that several blocs of stores will soon be sold (ap - 654 S. College Ave. parently financial investment adviser Credit Suisse couldn’t Newark, DE 19713 find a single buyer to wholly acquire the semi-dilapidated delaware County - Pennsylvania (7 p.m. only) retailer), all that’s left are the final steps toward closure. Springfield Country Club, 400 West Sproul Road ■ Jeff Metzger’s “Taking Stock” column appears in Food World Springfield, PA 19064 and Food Trade News . 4 Winter 2014 NLRB ruling shines new light on Walmart’s anti-worker tactics he National Labor Relations statement of fired workers. Board ruled in January that The pressure mounts Walmart illegally fired, disciplined or threatened This federal ruling is another in a T string of bad news for the enormous dozens of workers in 14 states for participating in rallies against the retailer, which has a poor reputation company. when it comes to workers’ rights. Charges were filed against the com - Just in recent months, news broke pany in November, when hundreds of that Walmart hired lobbyists to fight Walmart workers went on strike to against a bill that promoted worker demand better wages and scheduling safety in Bangladesh. And this past practices. November, on Black Friday, protests Secretary- The NLRB based its decision on an at Walmarts across the country (in internal Walmart memorandum that a which Local 152 activists participated) Treasurer’s company official read to workers. The were more widespread and prominent document read, in part: than ever before. Report As scrutiny of Walmart’s business “It is very important for you to By Anthony Benigno understand that the company does not practices intensifies, each new story agree that these hit-and-run work stop - seems to resonate further outside of traditional Labor abor media and into pages are protected, and now that it 2. Schedule workers for enough hours mainstream news and the minds of has done the legal thinking on the so they can care for their families. subject, it will not excuse them in the everyday shoppers. 3. End illegal retaliation against future. Change for the better workers who speak out for change. “Should you participate in further This is no doubt a concern of union-orchestrated intermittent work incoming Walmart CEO Doug 4. Respect the people who work for stoppages that are part of a common McMillon. Rather than wait in vain Walmart. plan or design to disrupt and confuse for the company to do the right thing, 5. Listen to to Walmart employees. the company’s business operations, though, the OUR Walmart organiza - As public opinion continues to sour you should expect that the company tion has made a list of five ways the on Walmart, 2014 could be the year will treat any such absence as it would retailer can improve the lives of its when we start to see changes for the any other unexcused absence…” workers: If an administrative judge upholds better — as long as we remain active the complaint, Walmart would be 1. Pay workers at least $25,000 per and vocal in support of those who required to award back pay and rein - year. work for America’s largest employer. Earn money and keep your union strong! Would you like to earn some extra cash? Provide an organizing lead to UFCW Local 152 that results in a union election. Member participation will be re - quired. By getting involved, you are helping to make your union stronger and you have an opportunity to earn $275! For additional information, please con - tact Chad Brooks, Director of Organizing, at (888) 564-6152 . Winter 2014 5 ShopRite Meat members ratify new contract Dec. 17, 2013 Somers Point, N.J.