THE STRIKE BY 10,000 CANADA SAFEWAY
approaching a partial conclusion. Ten weeks and one day after the United Food and Commercial Workers union struck 73 of Safeway's 74 supermarkets in the province, some 3,500 retail sector employees in 29 Calgary stores voted last Wednesday night to return to work. The Calgary meat and deli workers' division of the UFCW was scheduled to vote Thursday. About 3,000 retail sector workers in Safeway's 30 supermarkets in Edmonton were to vote Thursday night on the settlement document recommended by a government mediator. Members of the separate Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco Workers Union approved the mediator's proposed settlement and were expected to return to work in all Alberta Safeway stores by the weekend.
MIKE WRIGHT, chairman and chief executive officer of Supervalu, Minneapolis, told the CIES Annual Executive Conference last week that building value and convenience and improving food safety are three key imperatives for North American food retailers. He told an audience at the opening session in Boston that Efficient Consumer Response has improved value to consumers, while efforts at home-meal replacements are beginning to address the convenience need. Wright said consumer demand for food safety is leading to new cooperation between industry, government and consumer advocates. Charles Shoemate, chairman, president and CEO of CPC International, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., said globalization of the industry is providing increasing opportunities, and that companies must continue to improve their knowledge of consumer demands.
GIANT EAGLE and Riser Foods,
Bedford Heights, Ohio, which previously announced a merger agreement, have cleared the mandatory antitrust waiting period that pertains to Pittsburgh-based Giant's tender offer to purchase all outstanding Class A shares of Riser stock at $42 per share.
