Latest news with #Minneapolis-area
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Bernie Sanders urges UNFI to negotiate a ‘fair contract' with Cub Foods workers
Dive Brief: Sen. Bernie Sanders has called on United Natural Foods, Inc. as well as two grocery operators to "negotiate in good faith to sign a fair contract" with employees affiliated with United Food and Commercial Workers Local Union 663 after they voted to reject the grocers' contract offers in May. Along with UNFI, the Vermont Democrat senator sent letters to Minneapolis-area grocery operators The Haug's Companies, which runs two supermarkets under UNFI's Cub Foods franchise, and Knowlan's Festival said in an emailed statement it takes Sanders' comments "very seriously" and is in touch with his staff about the ongoing negotiations. Dive Insight: UFCW Local 663 workers at these Minneapolis grocery banners have been working without a contract since March, Sanders wrote in separate letters to the three grocery operators, noting in his letter to UNFI President and CEO of Retail Andre Persaud that this is "absolutely unacceptable." Unionized workers at UNFI/Cubs Foods, Haug's Cub Foods and Knowlan's Festival voted in May to reject contract offers from the grocery companies. That month, the union representing the workers filed unfair labor practice charges that claimed UNFI/Cub Foods failed to bargain in good faith and alleged additional violations of the National Labor Relations Board by Haug's and Knowlan's Festival. According to UFCW Local 663, the contract rejected by workers would have imposed additional healthcare costs on workers, failed to provide livable raises and sought concessions from the unions. UFCW Local 663 represents more than 2,300 workers across 33 UNFI Cub Foods locations, according to the senator's letter to Persaud. "I have personally heard from these workers, who have expressed serious concerns about your company's demands for healthcare concessions and your insistence that workers drop current unfair labor practice charges and grievances – including what I understand to be approximately $2 million in sick time class action grievances alone," Sanders said in the letter to Persaud. He continued: "These unlawful tactics, including refusing to negotiate, threatening workers, and surveilling employees over their union activity, are unacceptable and have prompted the filing of multiple unfair labor practice charges." UNFI said in its emailed statement that it has been negotiating in good faith with UFCW Local 663. "As part of the negotiations, we've offered strong wage increases, continued market leading union health care and significant increases in our contributions to the union's pension plan to help address underfunding and protect the benefits of all participants. It is our strong hope that the union will choose to meet with us to continue negotiations toward a new contract," UNFI said in a statement. The company added that almost 80% of Cub Foods' workforce is unionized. UFCW Local 663 said last month that the companies' conduct "has set the union on a path to potential strikes," which could involve as many as 2,800 workers at 38 stores throughout the Minneapolis area. The threat of a strike is the latest challenge facing UNFI. Early this month, the grocery supplier suffered a cyberattack and is currently relying on manual procedures to receive and fulfill orders from customers after having to entirely shut down its online platform on June 6. Last week, UNFI disclosed that it is mutually ending its relationship with supermarket cooperative Key Food, which includes a $53 million contract termination fee for UNFI. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
NDTV
16-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
From Making Burritos To Minnesota Lawyer, All About Melissa Hortman
Minneapolis: Melissa Hortman's influence at the Minnesota Capitol and her power as a Democratic leader to shape the course of a deeply divided Legislature were a far cry from her job as a teenager making chili-cheese burritos and overshadowed her volunteer work training service dogs for veterans. She was a lifelong Minneapolis-area resident who went to college in Boston and then returned home for law school and, with degree fresh in hand, worked as a volunteer lawyer for a group fighting housing discrimination. Elected to the Minnesota House in 2004, she helped pass liberal initiatives like free lunches for public school students in 2023 as the chamber's speaker. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she helped break a budget impasse threatening to shut down state government. Tributes from friends and colleagues in both parties poured in after Hortman and her husband were shot to death early Saturday in their suburban Brooklyn Park home in what authorities called an act of targeted political violence. Helping Paws, which trains service dogs, posted a message on its Facebook page, along with a 2022 photo of a smiling Hortman with her arm around Gilbert, a friendly-looking golden retriever trained to be a service dog and adopted by her family. "Melissa Hortman was a woman that I wish everyone around the country knew," US Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a longtime friend and Democratic ally, said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." Klobuchar added: "She was a true leader and loved her work, but was always so grounded and such a decent person. I think that's probably the best word to describe her. You look at her pictures and you know what she was about." The shootings followed a big Democratic dinner The killings of Hortman and her husband early Saturday followed the shootings and wounding of another prominent Minnesota lawmaker, state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, at their home in Champlin, another Minneapolis suburb. Hoffman is chair of the Senate committee overseeing human resources spending. A nephew posted Sunday on Facebook that the Hoffmans were out of surgery and recovering from multiple gunshot wounds. The Hortmans, the Hoffmans and other top Democrats had gathered at a downtown Minneapolis hotel Friday night for their party's annual Humphrey-Mondale dinner. It's named for two Minnesota liberal icons who served both as US senators and vice presidents, Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. Minnesota Democrat and US Sen. Tina Smith said she saw both lawmakers at the dinner. "So it feels so personal, because we're all very good friends, of course, to have that have happened so shortly after we were all together," Smith said on CNN's "Inside Politics Sunday." Outside the state Capitol in St. Paul, a memorial to Hortman and her husband included flowers, candles, small American flags and a photo of the couple. Visitors left messages on Post-It notes commending Hortman's legislative work, including, "You changed countless lives." Hortman supplied a key vote for a budget deal Democrats disliked Legislative colleagues described Hortman as funny, savvy and fiercely committed to liberal causes. When lawmakers convened in January with a vacancy in a Democratic seat in the House giving the GOP a temporary advantage, Hortman led a boycott of daily sessions for more than three weeks to force Republicans into a power-sharing arrangement. Republicans were intent this year on ending state health coverage for adult immigrants who entered the US illegally, authorized in 2023 as part of a sweeping liberal program. Democrats wanted to keep it, and lawmakers began June - the last month of the 2025 budget year - without having passed a 2026-27 spending blueprint. Hortman helped negotiate a package that included a bill ending the state health coverage for adult immigrants on Jan. 1, 2026. She was the only House Democrat to vote for it last week- the 68th vote it needed to pass the chamber. She told reporters afterward that Republicans insisted on the bill, and Minnesota voters who gave the House an even partisan split expect the parties to compromise. But she acknowledged she worries about people who will lose their health insurance. "I know that people will be hurt by that vote," she said, choking up briefly before regaining her composure. "We worked very hard to try to get a budget deal that wouldn't include that provision." Tacos, auto parts, physics and Habitat for Humanity Hortman's earliest jobs didn't suggest that she'd become a power in Minnesota politics. The earliest job listed on her profile, when she was 16, was as a cook and cashier at a restaurant, where she made tacos and, "most importantly, chili cheese burritos." She also worked for caterers and was a runner at an auto parts store, putting inventory away and retrieving items for customers. Her husband, Mark, earned a physics degree from the University of North Carolina and later, a master's of business administration. He was the chief operating officer of an auto parts company for 10 years before co-founding a business consulting firm. He was active in Helping Paws and worked with homebuilding nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. They have an adult son and an adult daughter. Melissa Hortman earned a degree in philosophy and political science from Boston University, where she also worked as a residence assistant in one of its dormitories. She earned her law degree from the University of Minnesota, but also a master's of public administration from Harvard University. She served a decade on the board of a local nonprofit providing transportation and car repairs for low-income residents. She also was part of a committee in 2005 considering whether Minneapolis should submit a bid to host the Summer Olympics. "We remember Melissa for her kindness, compassion, and unwavering commitment to making the world better," Helping Paws said in its Facebook message.
16-06-2025
- Politics
A teenager with a job making burritos became a powerful Minnesota lawmaker who trained service dogs
MINNEAPOLIS -- MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Melissa Hortman' s influence at the Minnesota Capitol and her power as a Democratic leader to shape the course of a deeply divided Legislature were a far cry from her job as a teenager making chili-cheese burritos and overshadowed her volunteer work training service dogs for veterans. She was a lifelong Minneapolis-area resident who went to college in Boston and then returned home for law school and, with degree fresh in hand, worked as a volunteer lawyer for a group fighting housing discrimination. Elected to the Minnesota House in 2004, she helped pass liberal initiatives like free lunches for public school students in 2023 as the chamber's speaker. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she helped break a budget impasse threatening to shut down state government. Tributes from friends and colleagues in both parties poured in after Hortman and her husband were shot to death early Saturday in their suburban Brooklyn Park home in what authorities called an act of targeted political violence. Helping Paws, which trains service dogs, posted a message on its Facebook page, along with a 2022 photo of a smiling Hortman with her arm around Gilbert, a friendly-looking golden retriever trained to be a service dog and adopted by her family. 'Melissa Hortman was a woman that I wish everyone around the country knew,' U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a longtime friend and Democratic ally, said Sunday on ABC's 'This Week.' Klobuchar added: 'She was a true leader and loved her work, but was always so grounded and such a decent person. I think that's probably the best word to describe her. You look at her pictures and you know what she was about.' The killings of Hortman and her husband early Saturday followed the shootings and wounding of another prominent Minnesota lawmaker, state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, at their home in Champlin, another Minneapolis suburb. Hoffman is chair of the Senate committee overseeing human resources spending. A nephew posted Sunday on Facebook that the Hoffmans were out of surgery and recovering from multiple gunshot wounds. The Hortmans, the Hoffmans and other top Democrats had gathered at a downtown Minneapolis hotel Friday night for their party's annual Humphrey-Mondale dinner. It's named for two Minnesota liberal icons who served both as U.S. senators and vice presidents, Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. Minnesota Democrat and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith said she saw both lawmakers at the dinner. 'So it feels so personal, because we're all very good friends, of course, to have that have happened so shortly after we were all together,' Smith said on CNN's 'Inside Politics Sunday.' Outside the state Capitol in St. Paul, a memorial to Hortman and her husband included flowers, candles, small American flags and a photo of the couple. Visitors left messages on Post-It notes commending Hortman's legislative work, including, 'You changed countless lives." Legislative colleagues described Hortman as funny, savvy and fiercely committed to liberal causes. When lawmakers convened in January with a vacancy in a Democratic seat in the House giving the GOP a temporary advantage, Hortman led a boycott of daily sessions for more than three weeks to force Republicans into a power-sharing arrangement. Republicans were intent this year on ending state health coverage for adult immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally, authorized in 2023 as part of a sweeping liberal program. Democrats wanted to keep it, and lawmakers began June — the last month of the 2025 budget year — without having passed a 2026-27 spending blueprint. Hortman helped negotiate a package that included a bill ending the state health coverage for adult immigrants on Jan. 1, 2026. She was the only House Democrat to vote for it last week— the 68th vote it needed to pass the chamber. She told reporters afterward that Republicans insisted on the bill, and Minnesota voters who gave the House an even partisan split expect the parties to compromise. But she acknowledged she worries about people who will lose their health insurance. 'I know that people will be hurt by that vote,' she said, choking up briefly before regaining her composure. 'We worked very hard to try to get a budget deal that wouldn't include that provision.' Hortman's earliest jobs didn't suggest that she'd become a power in Minnesota politics. The earliest job listed on her profile, when she was 16, was as a cook and cashier at a restaurant, where she made tacos and, 'most importantly, chili cheese burritos.' She also worked for caterers and was a runner at an auto parts store, putting inventory away and retrieving items for customers. Her husband, Mark, earned a physics degree from the University of North Carolina and later, a master's of business administration. He was the chief operating officer of an auto parts company for 10 years before co-founding a business consulting firm. He was active in Helping Paws and worked with homebuilding nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. They have an adult son and an adult daughter. Melissa Hortman earned a degree in philosophy and political science from Boston University, where she also worked as a residence assistant in one of its dormitories. She earned her law degree from the University of Minnesota, but also a master's of public administration from Harvard University. She served a decade on the board of a local nonprofit providing transportation and car repairs for low-income residents. She also was part of a committee in 2005 considering whether Minneapolis should submit a bid to host the Summer Olympics. 'We remember Melissa for her kindness, compassion, and unwavering commitment to making the world better,' Helping Paws said in its Facebook message.
Toronto Star
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
A teenager with a job making burritos became a powerful Minnesota lawmaker who trained service dogs
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Melissa Hortman' s influence at the Minnesota Capitol and her power as a Democratic leader to shape the course of a deeply divided Legislature were a far cry from her job as a teenager making chili-cheese burritos and overshadowed her volunteer work training service dogs for veterans. She was a lifelong Minneapolis-area resident who went to college in Boston and then returned home for law school and, with degree fresh in hand, worked as a volunteer lawyer for a group fighting housing discrimination. Elected to the Minnesota House in 2004, she helped pass liberal initiatives like free lunches for pubic school students in 2023 as the chamber's speaker. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she helped break a budget impasse threatening to shut down state government.
Hamilton Spectator
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
A teenager with a job making burritos became a powerful Minnesota lawmaker who trained service dogs
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Melissa Hortman' s influence at the Minnesota Capitol and her power as a Democratic leader to shape the course of a deeply divided Legislature were a far cry from her job as a teenager making chili-cheese burritos and overshadowed her volunteer work training service dogs for veterans. She was a lifelong Minneapolis-area resident who went to college in Boston and then returned home for law school and, with degree fresh in hand, worked as a volunteer lawyer for a group fighting housing discrimination. Elected to the Minnesota House in 2004, she helped pass liberal initiatives like free lunches for pubic school students in 2023 as the chamber's speaker. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she helped break a budget impasse threatening to shut down state government. Tributes from friends and colleagues in both parties poured in after Hortman and her husband were shot to death early Saturday in their suburban Brooklyn Park home in what authorities called an act of targeted political violence. Helping Paws, which trains service dogs, posted a message on its Facebook page, along with a photo of a smiling Hortman with her arm around a friendly-looking golden retriever. 'Melissa Hortman was a woman that I wish everyone around the country knew,' U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a longtime friend and Democratic ally, said Sunday on ABC's 'This Week.' Klobuchar added: 'She was a true leader and loved her work, but was always so grounded and such a decent person. I think that's probably the best word to describe her. You look at her pictures and you know what she was about.' The shootings followed a big Democratic dinner The killings of Hortman and her husband early Saturday followed the shootings and wounding of another prominent Minnesota lawmaker, state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, at their home in Champlin, another Minneapolis suburb. Hoffman is chair of the Senate committee overseeing human resources spending. A nephew posted Sunday on Facebook that the Hoffmans were out of surgery and recovering from multiple gunshot wounds. The Hortmans, the Hoffmans and other top Democrats had gathered at a downtown Minneapolis hotel Friday night for their party's annual Humphrey-Mondale dinner. It's named for two Minnesota liberal icons who served both as U.S. senators and vice presidents, Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. Minnesota Democrat and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith said she saw both lawmakers at the dinner. 'So it feels so personal, because we're all very good friends, of course, to have that have happened so shortly after we were all together,' Smith said on CNN's 'Inside Politics Sunday.' Outside the state Capitol in St. Paul, a memorial to Hortman and her husband included flowers, candles, small American flags and a photo of the couple. Visitors left messages on Post-It notes commending Hortman's legislative work, including, 'You changed countless lives.' Hortman supplied a key vote for a budget deal Democrats disliked Legislative colleagues described Hortman as funny, savvy and fiercely committed to liberal causes. When lawmakers convened in January with a vacancy in a Democratic seat in the House giving the GOP a temporary advantage, Hortman led a boycott of daily sessions for more than three weeks to force Republicans into a power-sharing arrangement. Republicans were intent this year on ending state health coverage for adult immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally, authorized in 2023 as part of a sweeping liberal program . Democrats wanted to keep it, and lawmakers began June — the last month of the 2025 budget year — without having passed a 2026-27 spending blueprint. Hortman helped negotiate a package that included a bill ending the state health coverage for adult immigrants on Jan. 1, 2026. She was the only House Democrat to vote for it last week— the 68th vote it needed to pass the chamber. She told reporters afterward that Republicans insisted on the bill, and Minnesota voters who gave the House an even partisan split expect the parties to compromise. But she acknowledged she worries about people who will lose their health insurance. 'I know that people will be hurt by that vote,' she said, choking up briefly before regaining her composure. 'We worked very hard to get a budget deal that wouldn't include that provision.' Tacos, auto parts, physics and Habitat for Humanity Hortman's earliest jobs didn't suggest that she'd become a power in Minnesota politics. The earliest job listed on her profile, when she was 16, was as a cook and cashier at a restaurant, where she made tacos and, 'most importantly, chili cheese burritos.' She also worked for caterers and was a runner at an auto parts store, putting inventory away and retrieving items for customers. Her husband, Mark, earned a physics degree from the University of North Carolina and later, a master's of business administration. He was the chief operating officer of an auto parts company for 10 years before co-founding a business consulting firm. He was active in Helping Paws and worked with homebuilding nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. Melissa Hortman earned a degree in philosophy and political science from Boston University, where she also worked as a residence assistant in one of its dormitories. She earned her law degree from the University of Minnesota, but also a master's of public administration from Harvard University. She served a decade on the board of a local nonprofit providing transportation and car repairs for low-income residents. She also was part of a committee in 2005 considering whether Minneapolis should submit a bid to host the Summer Olympics. 'We remember Melissa for her kindness, compassion, and unwavering commitment to making the world better,' Helping Paws said in its Facebook message. ___ Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press video journalist Obed Lamy also contributed reporting from St. Paul, Minnesota. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
