Chains Duke it Out for East New York Turf
Crain’s filed this story late yesterday: “A local supermarket union will launch a campaign Tuesday afternoon to bring a 100,000-square-foot ShopRite to the Brooklyn retail center that Walmart is also eyeing for its first New York City store. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500 will argue that ShopRite’s wages and benefits outstrip those offered…
Crain’s filed this story late yesterday: “A local supermarket union will launch a campaign Tuesday afternoon to bring a 100,000-square-foot ShopRite to the Brooklyn retail center that Walmart is also eyeing for its first New York City store. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500 will argue that ShopRite’s wages and benefits outstrip those offered by Walmart, and that the supermarket would match Walmart’s promise to bring fresh food into the East New York, Brooklyn, neighborhood.” The site, at the Gateway II complex, is owned by the Related Cos.
ShopRite Jockeys With Walmart for Brooklyn Site [Crain’s]
By BoerumHillScott on February 2, 2011 2:48 PM
“Anyone who gets health insurance, pensions, paid vacation and works only 5 days a week pretty much owes all that to unions.”
Funny, I have all of that for my 15+ years of working, and I am in a field that is close to zero percent unionized.
Me too. No unions on Wall Street.
“Anyone who gets health insurance, pensions, paid vacation and works only 5 days a week pretty much owes all that to unions.”
Funny, I have all of that for my 15+ years of working, and I am in a field that is close to zero percent unionized.
I respect the work that unions did 70+ years ago, but pretending that unions are necessary to maintain good working conditions today is just silly.
Bodegas don’t offer their workers insurance and don’t hire more than a handful of people – who are most often their own family members. Bringing more jobs to Brooklyn means bringing in big stores. NIMBYs need to accept that.
“Who needs unions.”
Anyone who gets health insurance, pensions, paid vacation and works only 5 days a week pretty much owes all that to unions.
I frequently shop in a Walmart near Albany, NY and the food section is immense. While you won’t find your artisinal goat cheese or hickory smoked arctic char, you will find packaged Feta and Lox. It’s pretty well stocked with conventional groceries and with some imagination you could easily feed a family with healthy – albeit uninspired – choices.
Walmart is often criticized for taking Mom and Pop stores out of business, but Walmart insures it’s workers. What local bodega does? Not many, I guess. It also provides very inexpensive prescriptions and banking services.
Walmat is basically soviet style central planning that works. Who needs unions.
the walmarts in NJ, VA, NC that I visit frequently are great. good condition. well stocked. Fresh inventory. The super targets and super walmarts are killer – great fresh stuff along with great prices.
The AC Target sells milk and dairy products, packaged ham/lunchmeats, processed frozen food, and occasionally a tiny selection of frozen meat and veggies.
This is consistent with the urban/suburban non-Supercenter Wal-Marts I have shopped at in other states.
“the people in this part of BK need more options”
OK, here’s some information from someone who’s actually in ENY from time to time:
ENY could use either one of these stores. However the Gateway complex already has a number of big-box stores, and there are other large groceries in ENY, ESPECIALLY in this area (there at least two Pathmarks in the Starret City complex).
There are sections of ENY are probably better served with regards to large grocery stores than some section of brownstone Brooklyn.
Either way, the ENY folks will manage just fine. I think the Fairway would be a better bet for local employment purposes (i.e., higher wages for workers).
“Walmart sells everything”
That’s what they’d like you to think, but it sure hasn’t been my experience. During the summer I occasionally shop at the Walmarts in Bennington, VT and Hinsdale, NH. Neither store is very well stocked and their food selection is miserable. Prices ARE quite low on what they do sell though. Walmart is nothing special and I don’t think they’d do very well if they ever manage to open in NYC.