Safeway

Safeway is one of the largest supermarket chains in North America with stores located mostly in the western, midwestern and mid-Atlantic U.S., and also in western Canada. Besides the Safeway brand, it also has Vons, Dominick's, Carr-Gottstein (in Alaska), Genuardi's (in eastern U.S.), and Randall's (in Texas). In 2006, it had sales of $40 billion and profits of $870 million.

Political contributions
Steven A. Burd, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Safeway, is a Bush Ranger having raised at least $200,000 for Bush in the 2004 presidential election.

The Texans for Public Justice website said about Burd, 'Steven Burd started his own firm in 1987, developing close ties to buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co ... Under Kohlberg Kravis control in 1992, Safeway appointed Burd as president. Under Burd, the nation’s No. 3 grocery chain has clashed repeatedly with its workers. Workers in Safeway’s crucial Northern California market struck over health concession demands in 1995, two years after Burd became CEO. The company’s $1.9 billion buyout of a competitor in 1998 triggered a costly showdown between Burd and Dominick’s union workers. In a 2003 replay, union workers struck Safeway-owned Vons grocery stores in Southern California to protest management’s attempts to slash their benefits. The San Diego Union-Tribune described Burd as, “the point man on the imperative of wresting concessions from unionized workers.” That labor struggle spread to area Albertsons and Ralphs groceries owned by Kroger ... The grocery chains, which sought to deprive workers of health benefits worth approximately $5,000 per family, got most of what they wanted after a bitter four-month strike. Burd who received $2.2 million in 2002 compensation, sold $21 million worth of Safeway stock in the weeks leading up to the 2003 strike. With Safeway stock losing half its value over three years, five public pension funds controlling 1.6 percent of Safeway’s stock demanded in 2004 that the company oust Burd and two other Safeway directors with Kohlberg Kravis ties. The company kept Burd on the board but discarded the other two directors. Pioneer Tom Ridge appointed Burd to the Department of Homeland Security’s Private Sector Senior Advisory Committee in 2003.'

Safeway gave $402,000 to federal candidates in the 2006 election through its political action committee - 45% to Democrats and 55% to Republicans.

Lobbying
The company spent $1,294,000 for lobbying in 2006. $360,000 went to lobbying firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates with the remainder being spent using in-house lobbyists.

Personnel
Key executives and 2006 pay:
 * Steven A. Burd, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, $3,970,000 (plus exercised $187,000 in options)
 * Robert L. Edwards, Chief Financial Officer, $3,036,887
 * Larree M. Renda, Chief Administrative Officer, $1,390,000 (plus exercised $684,000 in options)
 * Bruce L. Everette, Executive Vice President of Retail Operations, $1,330,000 (plus exercised $1,620,000 in options)

Selected Safeway Board of Directors:
 * Mohan Gyani, Former President and Chief Executive Officer Mobility Services AT&T Wireless Services, Inc.
 * Paul Hazen, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Wells Fargo
 * Raymond G. Viault, Former Vice Chairman General Mills

Contact details
5918 Stoneridge Mall Road Pleasanton, CA 94588 Phone: 925-467-3000 Fax: 925-467-3321 Web: http://www.safeway.com

Related Sourcewatch

 * Ann Burdus