On Thursday September 2, the members of RWDSU Local 220 rejected another set of proposed concessions from the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group which operates the Mott's manufacturing plant in Williamson, NY.

Concessions in the latest proposal would have resulted in lower compensation for the members.  For instance, the 60 percent reduction in the 401 (k) match alone would have resulted in the loss of approximately $3,600 for each member. Work rule changes would have decreased workers' annual pay.  The members would have been forced to endure significant increases to the costs of their current health care plans as well as large and potentially prohibitive increases in the future.  New workers would have lost their pension and their retirement security.

And why? Dr. Pepper Snapple Group asserts that a profitable company should be able to ask its workers for concessions when they think they can get away with it, even as management increases its own compensation. Dr. Pepper Snapple is trying to take advantage of high unemployment in western New York.

The strike has not been easy for the workers and their families.  They have gone without a paycheck and health care coverage for 16 weeks now, even as 7 families battle with cancer.

When asked how one should explain to workers that they are being asked for concessions at a time of high profitability, both at their plant and for the company as a whole, while executives see their income increase, the company said, "tell them it's a new America."

The courageous workers at Mott's are fighting for all working people in this country.  They demand that there has to be a limit to corporate greed.  They do not accept Dr. Pepper Snapple Group's vision for our country.  

The company's new proposal was put before the membership on Thursday, September 2nd so that they could decide what they wanted to do, and they answered with a resounding "NO" against concessions and corporate greed.  Yesterday's rejection was democracy in action.

The members spoke out overwhelmingly that they will not be bullied. They are grateful for the enormous support they have received from throughout the community, and from across the country for their stand.

As we approach Labor Day 2010, the Mott's strikers have become symbols for workers across the country in the fight for fairness and justice in the workplace.  The Mott's workers have a message for all Americans:  "We must stand together as working people against corporate greed.  Enough is enough."

For more background on the Mott's strike, visit www.mottsworkers.org.

SOURCE Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union

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Southern Recipe, a pork rind leader produced by Rudolph Foods – one of the world's largest manufacturers of pork rinds – is launching their first Win The Ultimate Mancave contest from September 15 through November 30. Entrants in the southeast region are encouraged to share photos or video of their mancave along with a description for the chance to win a "man space" makeover. The contest is being held as a salute to the mancave dwellers that stock up on the tastiest crunch in the south.

Each photo or video and its description will be evaluated based on man appeal, humor and creativity in messaging. Eligible mancaves may be in basements, garages, front porches or anywhere mancave men go to enjoy life. A panel of Southern Recipe judges will select five winners in total. One grand prize winner will have their photo featured on ExploreMancave.com and will win a $3,500 mancave makeover, choosing from prizes such as a big screen TV, Surround Sound Stereo or 'real man' furniture. The second-place winner will receive a kegerator and three third-place winners will win a tailgate kit consisting of Southern Recipe snacks along with a t-shirt, Koozie, bottle opener and mini-grill set.

"The mancave is an everyday macho getaway," says Mark Singleton, VP of Marketing and Sales for Rudolph Foods. "Offering all the pork rind crunchers out there a chance to Win The Ultimate Mancave is a great opportunity for us to tip our hats and say 'hey, every guy deserves an awesome mancave'. Winning a big screen TV, Surround Sound Stereo or a room full of 'Real Man Furniture' doesn't hurt either!"

To obtain additional contest information and to enter the contest, consumers may complete an entry form at www.ExploreMancave.com, via email at SouthernRecipe@RMDadvertising.com, online at www.facebook.com/SouthernRecipe or www.twitter.com/SouthernRecipe. No purchase is necessary to participate.

About Southern Recipe

Southern Recipe is the tastiest snack in the South and is produced by Rudolph Foods Company, Inc., one of the world's largest suppliers of branded and private-label snack products including the world's largest manufacturer of pork rinds. Southern Recipe is solely dedicated to providing its customers with the best quality products and the highest levels of customer service at the best price.  For additional information, please call 1-800-241-7675, or visit www.ExploreMancave.com.

SOURCE Southern Recipe

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The True Source Honey Initiative applauds actions taken yesterday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement  (ICE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pursue leads in stemming the tide of illegally imported honey.

Yesterday's indictment is the largest in a string of federal actions in the past two years directed at stopping illegal trade in honey.  The 44-count indictment means the defendants are facing up to 20 years in prison, $250,000 fines on each count, and multi-million dollar reimbursements for the unpaid antidumping duties.

"This is the kind of pressure we need to correct the serious problem of illegally traded honey, which is threatening the continued viability of the U.S. honey sector," said True Source Honey spokeswoman Jill Clark of Dutch Gold Honey, Lancaster, Penn.

The DOJ indicted 11 German and Chinese individuals and six corporations on federal charges for allegedly participating in an international conspiracy to illegally import Chinese honey. Federal law officials said the defendants allegedly imported more than $40 million of Chinese honey that was mislabeled to avoid nearly $80 million in antidumping duties, and included honey that was adulterated with antibiotics not approved for use in honey production.

In addition, an importer who was charged in May 2009 of illegally importing honey to the United States – including a shipment tainted with antibiotics – has pleaded guilty to related charges in U.S. District Court at Seattle.  Chung Po Liu submitted false paperwork claiming that the honey had been produced in Thailand or the Philippines and thereby avoided high import fees on Chinese honey. One of the shipments included honey tainted with an antibiotic banned in U.S. food.

In addition to applauding the actions of the DOJ and ICE, the True Source Honey Initiative recognizes Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for their recent efforts calling for strengthened enforcement laws to combat Chinese "honey laundering" and to ensure the purity of honey sold in the United States.  Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) and Sen. John Thune (R-SD) are also to be commended for their work in leading a group of 15 senators in an August 19 letter urging the Food and Drug Administration to finally move forward and establish a national standard of identity for honey within three months.  Beginning last summer, Florida, California and Wisconsin adopted state honey standards, while a federal standard of identity proposal has languished at FDA with no action for 4-1/2 years.  

"A lot of wonderful work is underway to ensure that the honey U.S. consumers enjoy is legally sourced and of high quality," said Clark. "We need people to ask where the honey they enjoy is coming from—whether it's from the jar or used in a cereal, salad dressing, beverage, power bar or other food product. And we need food manufacturers to examine how they're sourcing honey."

Quality U.S. honey operations are also essential for the honeybees needed to pollinate dozens of fruit, vegetable and seed crops across the United States, said Clark.  "One out of every three bites of food we take in this country relies on pollination from our honeybees."

Illegally sourced honey hurts the beekeeping and honey industry and puts an added strain on honeybee producers, already struggling with colony collapse disorder. In addition, illegally imported honey includes food safety and quality implications as honey is often adulterated,  containing antibiotics, added syrups and sweetener extenders. With millions more pounds of circumvented honey entering the U.S. market in 2010, this illegal practice threatens a vital segment of U.S. agriculture.

The True Source Honey Initiative estimates that the illegal sale of honey in circumvention of U.S. trade laws costs the United States up to $200 million in uncollected duties in 2008 and 2009 combined.

"We thank the federal executive branch officials and Senators for their continued, important work for this critical sector of U.S. agriculture," said Clark.

The True Source Honey™ Initiative is an effort by a number of honey companies and importers to call attention to the problem of illegally sourced honey; to encourage action to protect consumers and customers from these practices; and to highlight and support legal, transparent and ethical sourcing. The initiative seeks to help maintain the reputation of honey as a high-quality, highly valued food and further sustain the U.S. honey sector.  For more information, visit www.TrueSourceHoney.com and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TrueSourceHoney and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/True-Source-Honey/142598785755162?ref=search.

SOURCE The True Source Honey(TM) Initiative

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In celebration of National Waffle Week and its 55th Anniversary, Waffle House restaurants invites fans to the Waffle House Museum to meet the founders, recognizes its favorite Customers, announces the winner of the BIG APPETITE song writers' contest and introduces a new waffle flavor.

WAFFLE HOUSE FOUNDERS AT THE MUSEUM

The Waffle House Museum will open its doors on Saturday, September 11th, from noon-3pm.  Visitors can tour a replica of the first restaurant and see memorabilia through the years. Founders Joe Rogers, Sr. and Tom Forkner will also be there to show their appreciation to Waffle House fans and Regulars who have helped make Waffle House an American phenomenon.  They will also answer questions and talk about how they started the Waffle House system. The Waffle House Museum is located at 2719 E. College Blvd, Decatur, Ga. 30030.

EACH RESTAURANT AWARDS LIMITED EDITION LAPEL PINS TO FAVORITE CUSTOMERS

National Waffle Week (September 5-11) is really a week for Waffle House Associates to show customers how important they are to them. Associates at each Waffle House restaurant will hand out commemorative 55th Anniversary lapel pins to its top 20 Customers throughout the week.  

"This is just one of the many ways for our Associates to show appreciation to their Customers," says Waffle House President Walt Ehmer.  "Waffle House restaurants wouldn't be successful today if it weren't for our wonderful customers."

BIG APPETITE/WAFFLE HOUSE SONG WRITERS' CONTEST WINNER REVEALED

Waffle House restaurants announces and congratulates Geoff Pawlikowski, the winner of the BIG APPETITE/Waffle House song writers' competition. The contest resulted in entries from across the nation with song writers' vying for a chance for their song to be on the coveted Waffle House jukebox  The winning song embraces author Sam McLeod's theme of having a "big appetite" for life from his book, BIG APPETITE: My Southern-Fried Search for the Meaning of Life.

"I went to college in Savannah, Ga. which is where I first fell in love with Waffle House," says Pawlikowski who resides in Philadelphia, Pa.  "My father-in-law knew about my love of the restaurant and mailed me a newspaper clipping about the contest so I enlisted the help of my friends and together we wrote it and recorded it in my apartment. This is really a thrill for me!"

LIMITED TIME ONLY, APPLE CINNAMON OAT WAFFLE

Traditionally during National Waffle Week, Waffle House restaurants introduces a new waffle flavor.  This year, the new Apple Cinnamon Oat Waffle will roll out.  Many locations began serving this waffle ahead of scheduled unveiling due to Customer anticipation.  The Apple Cinnamon Oat Waffle has been received with rave reviews. For a limited time at participating restaurants, Customers can enjoy a delicious buttermilk waffle infused with apple cinnamon oat flavor.  

About Waffle House® restaurants

Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Waffle House® restaurants have been serving Good Food Fast® since 1955. Today the Waffle House system operates more than 1,590 restaurants in 25 states and is the world's leading server of waffles, T-bone steaks, hashbrowns, cheese 'n eggs, USDA Choice hamburgers, country ham, pork chops, and grits.

Waffle House, Inc. launched National Waffle Week in honor of the crisp, round, golden treat known as the waffle.  Waffle House waffles are made with sweet cream or buttermilk, vanilla, eggs and pure Pioneer flour.  In the past 55 years, Waffle House has sold more than 715 million waffles to become the world's leading server of waffles.

SOURCE Waffle House, Inc.

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Tasty Catering has been recognized as one of America's fastest-growing private companies on Inc. magazine's fourth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America's independent-minded entrepreneurs. Tasty Catering is in good company with Illinois based companies including Radio Flyer, Enjoy Life Foods and Windy City Fieldhouse. Other prominent brands on this year's list include music website Pandora, convenience store chain 7-Eleven, and Brooklyn Brewery.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100817/INC5000LOGO)

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100817/INC5000LOGO)

"Tasty Catering's three-year sales growth of 9 percent was made possible because of the unwavering commitment and innovative thinking of each and every one of our team members," said Tom Walter, CEO and founding partner, Tasty Catering. "As our leadership team upholds our commitment to investing in our people, I expect Tasty Catering to continue to grow with great quality and customer service."

"The leaders of the companies on this year's Inc. 5000 have figured out how to grow their businesses during the longest recession since the Great Depression," said Inc. president Bob LaPointe. "The 2010 Inc. 5000 showcases a particularly hardy group of entrepreneurs."

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found on www.inc.com/5000.

About Tasty Catering

Tasty Catering, a suburban-Chicago based corporate catering and event planning services company, has been exceeding the catering needs of Chicago area corporations and organizations for more than 20 years. Known for its commitment to excellence and attention to detail, Tasty Catering is built upon the single premise of providing its customers with exceptional service and quality. Tasty Catering customers include Cushman & Wakefield, Hamilton Partners, Sherman Hospital, University of Chicago, Comcast, RSM McGladrey, Cummins-Allison and Harris Bank.

Tasty Catering, 2010 Achievement in Catering Excellence (ACE) award winner, 2009 Better Business Bureau Torch Award Winner for Marketplace Ethics and 2008 Caterer of the Year, is the "go-to" caterer for Chicago business. Tasty Catering is WINNER! 2010 NICE Awards -- Best Catered Event Off Premise under $10,000, Best Catered Event Off Premise over $25,000, Best Picnic, Most Creative Planned Menu, Best fundraiser/Non-Profit Event and Best NICE Team Event. The company has also been recognized as a 2010 Exceptional Workplace by Inc. magazine and Winning Workplaces, a Best Place to Work in Illinois for three consecutive years (2010, 2009 & 2008), is a 2009 Best and Brightest Winning Company, and a 2008 DePaul University Entrepreneurial Quest Award Winner.

Visit www.TastyCatering.com

SOURCE Tasty Catering

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