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BJ's Wholesale Club – “Disapointing due to poor treatment of employees and empty promises.”
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A place where BJ's Wholesale workers can keep up to date on what's really happening at BJ's and for them to share their experiences.
BJ's Wholesale Club will be acquired by Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.8 billion. BJ's, which operates 190 warehouse clubs in 15 states, reported $10.6 billion in sales last year.
Under the terms of the agreement, BJ's shareholders will receive $51.25 per share, a 38 percent premium to the closing price June 2010, and a 7 percent premium to the closing price on June 28.
BJ's board of directors unanimously approved the merger agreement. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter.
"BJ's will benefit from the continued execution of our business plan and the significant retail expertise of our new partners at LGP and CVC, as well as from continued investments in our clubs, our people and technology, and the future of our business," says Laura Sen, president and chief executive officer. "Our members will continue to enjoy the top-quality merchandise, outstanding savings and great service that they've come to expect from BJ's on every visit."
"The Natick-based chain will close five underperforming stores, in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina, which will result in the loss of 380 positions by the end of this month."
BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (BJ: News ), an operator of warehouse clubs, reported that sales for December 2010 grew 7.3% to $1.25 billion from $1.16 billion in December 2009.The Natick, Massachusetts-based company's comparable club sales for December 2010 increased by 3.8%, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 2.4%, compared to comparable club sales increase of 4.8% in December 2009.
"Management is trying to portray itself as having the ability to make the difficult decisions required to drive stronger earning growth perhaps to stay aboard under a new regime, while also displaying hidden value to would-be bidders,"- Brian Sozzi, Wall Street Strategies analyst.
BJ's Wholesale Club still isn't safe from the clutches of private equity.
Leonard Green & Partners -- a Los Angeles buyout firm that disclosed a 9.5 percent stake in the warehouse chain in July -- remains keen to acquire the retailer and may launch a hostile bid if an auction isn't initiated in the coming weeks, sources told The Post.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/buying_in_bulk_aP1mhywCsTzLrwANWYdZfI#ixzz19YI3r0DD
Four Weeks Ended Four Weeks Ended February 27, 2010 February 28, 2009 ---------------------------------- ------------------ ------------------ Merchandise comparable club sales 3.9% 8.2% ---------------------------------- ------------------ ------------------ Impact of gasoline sales 3.6% (7.6%) ---------------------------------- ------------------ ------------------ Comparable club sales 7.5% 0.6% ---------------------------------- ------------------ ------------------ Sales Results for February 2010 ($ in thousands) Four Weeks Ended % Change February 27, February 28, Net Comp. 2010 2009 Sales Sales ------------ ------------ ------ ------ $ 755,241 $ 669,589 12.8% 7.5%
Anonymous 'expects more Payroll cuts to offset this pay out [from wage and hour suit]...."
Anonymous says "Today's hourly wagers are not uneducated or dumb. HR would do well to see that respect is a two way street."
Anonymous said that 'Home Office has to realize that its the workers that make or break a business, and if they keep on doing the things they have been, there will not be a BJ's in the near future as today, there are many alternatives for the consumer...'
Anonymous said 'the Sad thing is, even with this lawsuit settled, there are Gms still running their clubs this way. They wont learn a lesson until the Labor board gets involved. The communication between management and hourly is atrocious.'
Anonymous wonders 'Why do you think there are so many Overnight Manager Positions listed on BJ's Employment site?'
One writer gives their first hand experience of the lawsuit
"This is not about Costco, or Sam's club, This is about BJ's and things that happen there. Nothing will ever improve if people just shut up and let things go on as is"
And one anonymous poster thinks if the club would become union, it would instantly become an under performing store and shut down.
One poster says remember you must pay union dues, while another says 'Oh big deal unions collect dues'Star of year
Anonymous wonders how a cart-person can win SOY.
Anonymous tells us three things they look for in the SOY
Anonymous says "Its a favoritism thing. At our club, a part timer who is late a great deal, texts on his cell phone during work, etc got SOY but because he is a butt kisser, he gets on avg 45-50 hours a week"
Anonymous thinks the SOY program creates more disconnect and resentment than good.
Anonymous thinks SOY is completely arbitrary, while another thinks the award is well deserving to certain workers.
Anonymous wants to know if anyone feels "the new system for paid Vacation and sick time is going to screw us?"
Anonymous thinks the new program is better than the old.
Anonymous says it "seems that we are losing three weeks vacation time under this new system."
Anonymous wonders if that is true [losing three weeks vacation] why aren't we seeking union protection?
Anonymous says that "Misinformation abounds. No one is losing vaca time"
And Anonymous says "The biggest obstacle to union organizing efforts is simply the high turnover among the rank-and-file of a typical retail store. In some places, 60 or 70 percent of the staff can change in a typical year."
Klafter Olsen & Lesser LLP has reached a $9.3 million settlement of an overtime pay class action lawsuit against BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. (NYSE: BJ). The settlement, which is subject to Court approval, is intended to resolve claims that BJ's misclassified certain Mid Manager employees as exempt from receiving overtime for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week.
Plaintiffs claim that they were misclassified because their primary responsibilities included hourly duties such as loading and unloading materials, stocking shelves and other activities which are not exempt under federal and state overtime laws Under the settlement, approximately 1,500 current and former Mid Managers employed by BJ's since November 2007 will be entitled to make claims to share in the recovery, based on the number of weeks they were employed by the company.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Braintree developer has announced plans to construct a BJ's Wholesale Club on Hubbard Avenue. It would be the first BJ's in Berkshire CountyThe Berkrire Eagle says the store will be 88,000 square feet, and provide the community with 120 retail jobs.
You can check out Thor Equities site on the development of 1752 Shore Parkway here. Let us know what you think!Thor Equities Developer Joe Sitt is getting back to his retail roots and proposing construction of a new 214,000-square-foot shopping center at 1752 Shore Parkway.
The Amboy Bus Company is currently using the site to store its school buses.
Plans to construct space for a new BJ’s Wholesale Club and three other retail stores between 24th Avenue and Bay 37th Streetwill get a hearing at the Department of City Planning on October 29.
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Last Wednesday BJ's CEO Laura Sen had a lot to mention regarding the 85,000 sqft prototype store in Pennsylvania. The store plans on serving a "less dense market", and allows the company to expand into area's which they wouldn't explore before. The city of Syracuse was listening to this closey, from Friday's Post Standard: 'With new size in mind BJ's could expand to Syracuse area'
Whether or not BJ's expands to Syracuse the fact is that BJ's is thinking, and thinking wisely we should add. As a 'big box' store, and a typical 100,000+ sqft operator they have seen the fruits of holding such an immense retail space, though they have also been held back on expanding to certain areas who craved a store like BJ's, but did not have the sufficient space for them.
In 2008, Wal-Mart also toyed with the idea of a smaller format in order to take on neighborhood stores they wouldn't usually compete with their usual supercenters. The 'Marketside' test hasn't worked out the way Wal-Mart planned, as the Wal-Mart hierarchy has put a halt on expansion citing the struggling economy. We'll see if BJ's will take the same turn, downsizing to comply to an area they aren't accustom to serving.
The question on our mind though is what the new 'prototype' stores will do for jobs at BJ's?, both current and future. Will there be an infrastructure change? Will there be a different benefit package? Will there be different job descriptions? Will there be more controversial promotions?
Only time will tell, but we'd like to know what you think now...
Image by djlah via Flickr
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
So as they continue to expand during a recession, do the excuses of being hurt in a bad economy warrent the complaints we recieve on not getting enough hours? Let us know...
Plans for the nearly 45-acre site include the 117,925-square-foot BJ's Wholesale Club with a gas station and tire sale and service area.
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BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) comparable-store sales have lost momentum for the second month in a row and the first time in several quarters as the company reported a below plan and below consensus comp store sales gain of 2.7%. The company believes bad weather may have pressured sales by 1%-2%. Despite a relatively low enterprise value/earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization multiple of about 5 times, we are maintaining our Hold rating given our concerns around a deceleration in sales and difficult comparisons ahead as other retailers face easier comparisons.
Image by Getty Images via Daylife