Acme Union Workers Reject Contract Proposal

Workers for Acme Markets last week rejected a contract, paving the way for a potential July 10 work action in in 41 Southeastern Pennsylvania Acme stores when the contract expires. Members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 rejected management’s “take it or leave” offer in a vote of 1,607-87. Wendell Young, UFCW Local `1776 president said union members were particularly critical of Acme’s call for workers to accept the contract by July 10 or the company would impose it unilaterally.

Young said the union is concerned about plans to cut members health care benefits, little wage increase for four years, the introduction of medical co-pay, diminished language that protects seniority, hours and job security and leaves workers responsible for all shortfalls in the pension fund. Young said the union and Acme had been negotiating for more than a year and Local 1776 remains committed to achieving a negotiated settlement.

In a statement, Acme officials expressed disappointment in the union vote and said the company had offered a very fair and reasonable contract proposal and added that the offer was essential in local supermarket sales.

AG New England Reports Record Sales

Associated Grocers of New England, reported record sales of $340 million. “Sales increased by nearly $25 million, about 7.7 percent , for the fiscal year,” said Mike Bourgoine, president and chief executive officer. In addition, the number of retail stores served by AG New England grew significantly.

Mr. Bourgoine said economically New England is faring better than many other areas of the nation, and that the food business is certainly more stable than a number of industries. Although sales per customer for most stores is trending down, he credits AG New England’s moves to better serve increasingly price and quality conscious consumers, as well as continual time and money saving improvements in technology, with the co-op’s success. Over the past 10 years, sales for Associated Grocers of New England have grown by more than $132 million from $208 million in 1999.

AG New England operates from their 380,000-square-foot Distribution Center in Pembroke, New Hampshire, and supplies over 600 independent food stores. The cooperative is owned entirely by Independent Retail Grocers.

GMA Support Delaying GS1 Data Bar For Coupons

The Grocery Manufacturers Association has recommended that the UPC-A Bar Code not be removed from coupons beginning Jan. 1, 2010.

The GS1 DataBar readiness survey was disseminated mid-March to the industry to solicit feedback pertaining to retailer/manufacturer readiness for the January 1, 2010 implementation of the GS1 DataBar on coupons.

The response data from this survey suggests that removal of the UPC-A barcode beginning January 1, 2010 will create a significant hardship for many retailers who may not be equipped to scan the new GS1 DataBar by this date.

For this reason, the Joint Industry Coupon Committee (JICC) recommends that the UPC-A barcode not be removed from coupons beginning January 1, 2010. The JICC recommends a deferred implementation date of January 1, 2011 to help ensure that the industry has enough time to prepare for proper implementation.

The JICC is currently soliciting comment from industry stakeholders on the deferred GS1 Data Bar implementation date. The review period runs through July 17. The Joint Industry Coupon Committee is comprised of individuals from retailers and manufacturers who oversee coupon programs and includes representatives from GMA, Food Marketing Institute, National Grocers Association and National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

Supermarket Latest Word...

• Seder Foods has appointed Richard Carey as its director of sales and merchandising. He has previously worked for Market Basket and has spent the last two years with Seder Foods in new business development. He will be responsible for all retail and distributor sales and store merchandising plans.

• The golf tournament for the New England Food Foundation is Monday, Sept. 21 beginning at 10;30 a.m. at Pinehills Golf Course in Plymouth, Mass.

• Stop & Shop and Giant Foods have alerted their customers to a voluntary recall of Knorr Kosher Soup Mix –Chicken Vegetable Flavor with Pasta, imported from Israel. The product may contain egg, an undeclared allergen.

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