Latest news with #Safeway
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Sobeys and Safeway parent Empire Co. reports Q4 profit up, raises dividend
STELLARTON — Empire Co. Ltd. raised its quarterly dividend as it reported its fourth-quarter profit and sales rose compared with a year ago. The grocery retailer, which operates Sobeys, Safeway and other banners, says it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, up from 20 cents. The increased payment to shareholders came as Empire says it earned a profit attributable to owners of the company of $173 million or 74 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended May 3. The result was up from a profit of $149 million or 61 cents per diluted share a year ago. Sales for the quarter totalled $7.64 billion, up from $7.41 billion in the same quarter last year. Same-store rose 3.0 per cent as same-store sales for fuel fell 7.8 per cent driven by lower prices due to the removal of the government carbon tax. Food same-store sales rose 3.8 per cent. On an adjusted basis, Empire says it earned 74 cents per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 63 cents per diluted share a year ago. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sobeys and Safeway parent Empire Co. reports Q4 profit up, raises dividend
STELLARTON — Empire Co. Ltd. raised its quarterly dividend as it reported its fourth-quarter profit and sales rose compared with a year ago. The grocery retailer, which operates Sobeys, Safeway and other banners, says it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, up from 20 cents. The increased payment to shareholders came as Empire says it earned a profit attributable to owners of the company of $173 million or 74 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended May 3. The result was up from a profit of $149 million or 61 cents per diluted share a year ago. Sales for the quarter totalled $7.64 billion, up from $7.41 billion in the same quarter last year. Same-store rose 3.0 per cent as same-store sales for fuel fell 7.8 per cent driven by lower prices due to the removal of the government carbon tax. Food same-store sales rose 3.8 per cent. On an adjusted basis, Empire says it earned 74 cents per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 63 cents per diluted share a year ago. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX:EMP.A) The Canadian Press
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Colorado Safeway strikes expand to Castle Rock and Littleton with more locations expected
New Safeway locations joined UFCW Local 7's strike efforts on Monday, bringing the total to six locations across the state with more expected in the coming days. Among the hundreds of union workers already on strike is Castle Rock store clerk Tanner Vonstein. Vonstein says he voted to support the strike after five years with the company. "I know it's really important that if we're together, then we can win this fight," Vonstein said. Castle Rock Safeway clerk Tanner Vonstein describes working conditions at his store and the reason he and other workers are striking on Monday, June 16, 2025. CBS While shoppers may remember the recent strikes across Colorado King Soopers locations, UFCW Local 7 says this is the first Safeway strike in 29 years. The union says the strike comes to address what it says are unfair labor practices from Safeway. "I was doing the job of four people by myself. I mean, I'm a front-end head clerk, and I was doing produce for about eight months," Vonstein said. "It's very stressful." While dozens of shoppers continued to cross the picket line in Castle Rock on Monday, some turned away after hearing stories like Vonstein's. "I can barely afford rent on what we have now, and with these minimum wage increases, it doesn't make it any easier for me," he said. And from Estes Park to Castle Rock, UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova spent the day driving across the state and bringing workers to the picket lines with more expected to join this week. "As well as workers walking off the job, the entire state of Colorado, all of the union stores, and the union workers inside, they are so upset with their employer they're ready to strike this entire state," Cordova said. Managers Michael (no last name provided) and Denise (no last name provided) hold signs during a protest against Safeway in Littleton, Colorado on Monday, June 16, 2025. AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images But some shoppers are asking how long this strike could last. "They haven't resolved the unfair labor practice charges that we have against them, so we're still far apart, and the strike is going to continue to grow until we reach a contract with them," Cordova said. In a statement, however, Safeway disputed claims of unfair labor practices and shared the following statement, in part: "Safeway in Colorado remains committed to productive discussions with UFCW Local 7, and we are disappointed the union has chosen to strike some of our stores. We respect the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining and are negotiating in good faith to achieve a balanced agreement that rewards our associates, benefits our customers, and is sustainable for our company in the competitive grocery industry." But as negotiations continue, Cordova says so too will the strikes. "You may see, it could happen today, it could happen tonight. It can happen tomorrow, but the strike is going to expand until we reach a contract," Cordova said. Cordova explained that as negotiations continue with King Soopers as well, it could be possible that both chains eventually strike at the same time, but emphasized that the focus right now is on Safeway. In its statement, Safeway also said that it expects stores to remain open for customers throughout the strike.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Major supermarket chain workers start strike across 4 cities
"The U.S. has one of the most violent labor histories in the world," says Judith Stepan-Norris, a research professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine, and an expert on the U.S. labor movement. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, workers who struck were at risk of violence from police or even people hired by their employers. When strikes failed, they could lose their jobs or get in line behind replacement workers for a position. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter A lot has changed since then, and over time, uniting in a strike has become a powerful tool for workers to fight for better working conditions. Strikes played a significant role in many of the labor movement's changes, including an eight-hour workday, writes History. It's just like the father of the Japanese short story Ryunosuke Satoro once said: "Individually, we are one drop. Together we are an ocean." Unfortunately, though, the need for strikes has not vanished over time, and workers all over the world are facing injustice and inadequate working conditions such as understaffing, poor wages, and minimal health insurance benefits, among others. As a last resort, when all their options are exhausted, they unite and strike. The latest such effort involves workers at Safeway and Albertsons (ACI) . Image source: Bloomberg/Getty Images On Sunday, June 15, workers started a limited strike at Safeway/Alberstons locations in four cities. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 explained that the idea behind a limited strike is to allow the public to understand the problems these employees are dealing with, and at the same time, for the employer to realize "the seriousness of the workers' resolve." Related: Albertsons and Kroger workers approve huge supermarket strike A limited strike aims to minimize the burden on consumers and workers alike, but the union noted it will expand as the strike continues. The limited locations where the strike began include retail grocery stores in Estes Park, Fountain, and Pueblo, as well as a distribution center in Denver. "It's too bad that things have come to this point with Safeway/Albertsons, but the ongoing unfair labor practices, including bad faith bargaining, as well as surveilling and threatening workers, have given us no choice but to strike," said Monique Trujillo, a Safeway worker from Fountain, Colorado. More Retail: Huge retail chain closing more stores soon (locations revealed)Struggling drugstore chain announces second bankruptcyBeloved discount grocery chain has massive US plans The strike comes following UFCW Local 7's rejection of the latest offer from the company on June 11, when it also delivered a 72-hour notice that its employees plan to terminate their current contract extension and start a strike. On June 15, UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova sent a letter to Safeway saying that its members are tired of "Safeway/Albertsons' numerous unfair labor practices, including threatening workers, making unilateral changes to the contract, and steadfastly refusing to honor its agreement to provide retroactive wage increases and benefit contributions." Cordova went on to say that the union provided the company with many chances to avoid the strike such as withdrawing its proposal and instead fully funding health care benefits, which the company had refused. Related: Costco quietly pulls popular product, upsets fans "It has also failed to address the critical understaffing issue in Safeway/Albertsons stores, not to mention continuing to offer wage increases far below competitors here in Colorado and Wyoming. The Company can resolve this dispute, but it has to get serious and come to the table with an offer workers can accept." The strike has chances to grow much bigger as workers in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley, Longmont, and Loveland are preparing to vote on whether to join the Unfair Labor Practice strike. On June 13, Safeway in Colorado stated that the company "remains committed to productive discussions with WFCW Local 7," and that its focus continues to be on providing the best service to customers. The union represents about 7,000 Safeway workers in The Centennial State. "These are the first wave of the strikes," Cordova said, as reported by the Colorado Sun. "We have 68 different units here across the state. Safeway has a lot of market share in rural areas, and resort stores in mountain towns." If other units join the strike, this could grow into one of the biggest labor actions in Colorado's history. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Popular Colorado tourist destination shows support for local Safeway workers on strike
On Father's Day, downtown Estes Park, a popular Colorado tourist destination, was packed. But the town's only supermarket, a Safeway, was not because workers are striking. "Yeah. I would guess that the cars that we're seeing in here today are tourists. The locals are staying away," said Estes Park Mayor Gary Hall. CBS Picketers outside the store are asking people not to patronize the business, which could make getting food difficult for some, but Hall says for most people, it's not a problem. "All of the people who work at the Estes Park Safeway are friends and neighbors of ours. So, there's very high support in town, for me included, because I know all these people on a first name basis. I want them to receive reasonable pay, good benefits, good working conditions," said Hall. That means to get groceries, residents and tourists need to drive out of town or shop at the other smaller markets in town. One, the Country Market of Estes Park, seemed to be picking up the slack so far, but it isn't as big as the Safeway. CBS "That is a great, friendly place, but [it] doesn't have the volume that this Safeway does. And with all the tourists in town, the goods disappear very quickly," said Hall. With the large number of tourists and how much the town relies on tourism dollars, you might think the mayor might be worried that this strike could drive people away. But he's sure that there are plenty of other options for people in Estes Park. "There's a lot of stores that have shelves of food, a lot of it's snack-type stuff," said Hall. "We have a lot of restaurants, and so there's plenty of food in town."
