Associations

New York City -- Union leaders on Monday said they reached a tentative agreement with The Vons Cos. Ralphs Grocery Co.; and Albertsons, to head off the threat of a strike in Southern California by more than 60,000 workers, the Associated Press reported.

The union said the agreement, which still must be approved by the rank and file, would protect workers' health policies.

Washington, D.C. -- Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is beginning to see cautious increases over last year again, ending a summer-long downturn as retailers prepare for the holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

New York City -- The International Council of Shopping Centers said it expects holiday sales to increase 3% this year, which is below the 4.1% gain in 2010.

Holiday sales are expected to reach $250.2 billion, the highest since the 2007 peak, when spending totaled $251.7 billion, according to the group, whose forecast is among the first to come out for the holiday 2011 shopping season.

The ICSC predicted that holiday same-store sales will rise 3.5%, slightly lower than the 3.8% pace in 2010.

WASHINGTON — Retail sales for the month of August were flat, the U.S. Census Bureau disclosed on Wednesday.

Adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, sales totaled $389.5 billion. Compared with the year-ago period, however, sales rose 7.2%. Trade sales edged up slightly by 0.1% from July, as well as 7.5% above August 2010.

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Global Market Development Center announced that its members have elected two new board members to serve in two-year terms on their board of directors: Mike Petocchi, business group manager HBC/cosmetics with Wegmans Food Markets; and former GMDC chairman of the board, Jim Wonderly, VP grocery non-foods/GM Ahold USA.

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Global Market Development Center, the trade group for health, beauty, wellness and general merchandise retailers, announced that it has awarded its 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award to Terry Cox, retired group VP at Kroger, at its Health Beauty Wellness Marketing Conference in Phoenix, Ariz.

GARNER, N.C. — Butterball LLC, the nation’s largest turkey producer, has announced the appointment of Rod Brenneman as the company’s new CEO. After an extensive search, the company came back to its first and number one candidate, who has been filling the role as interim CEO and is already familiar with the organization.

The prospect of learning how RFID can improve supply chain performance and the bottom line is the focus of the fourth annual RFID Forum to be held Oct. 25 to 26 in Fayetteville, Ark. The event is a creation of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), the University of Arkansas RFID Research Centers and the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions (VICS) Association.