Where bright ideas are yours for the keeping. - Wisconsin Grocers ...

I N T R O D U C I N GDebbie SchneiderWGA’s New Membership Services RepresentativeDebbie represents the WGA and its members in the field,promoting the WGA to grocery store owners and managersthroughout the state. As field rep, Debbie works to recruit newmembers and acts as a resource to all current members. Sheassists with problem-solving and refers requests of assistance toWGA staff on issues like EBT, coupons, insurance, and otherindustry topics. Contact Debbie for membership information andanswers to industry questions at debbie@wisconsingrocers.com.Got Carts?Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin isin need of your used or extra carts for their MobilePantry Program. Mobile Pantries, like “farmers’ marketfor those in need,” provide a significant quantity ofnutritious food items to our neighbors.If you can help, please contact Tami Lee attamil@shfbmadison.org or 608.223.9121, ext, 104.WGA ANTITRUST STATEMENTAdopted by the Board of Directors, May 29, 2003WGA believes strongly in competition. Our antitrustlaws are the rules under which our competitive system operates. Theirpurpose is to preserve and promote free competition. Therefore, it isWGA’s policy to comply in all respects with the antitrust laws.Association meetings and workshops by their very nature bringcompetitors together.Accordingly, it is necessary to avoid discussionsof sensitive topics and especially important toavoid recommendations with respect to sensitivesubjects. Agreements to fix prices, allocate markets, engage inproduct boycotts and to refuse to deal with third parties areautomatically illegal under antitrust laws. It doesn’t matter what thereason for the agreement might be.Accordingly, at any association meetingdiscussions of prices (including elements of pricessuch as allowances and credit terms), qualityratings of suppliers, any discussions which maycause a competitor to cease purchasing from aparticular supplier, or selling to a particularcustomer, should be avoided. Also, there should be nodiscussion that might be interpreted as a dividing up of territories.An antitrust violation does not require proof ofa formal agreement. A discussion of a sensitive topic, such asprice, followed by parallel action by those involved or present at thediscussion is enough to show a price fixing conspiracy. As a result, thoseattending an association-sponsored meeting should remember theimportance of avoiding not only unlawful activities, but even thePRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPERappearance of unlawfulactivity.As a practicalmatter violations ofthese rules can haveserious consequencesfor a company and itsemployees. The ShermanAct is a criminal statute.Violations are feloniespunishable by penaltiesof up to $1 million forcorporations and by imprisonment of up to three years or penalties ofup to $100,000, or both, for individuals. The Justice Department, stateattorneys general and any person or company injured by a violation ofthe antitrust laws may bring an action for three times the amount ofthe damages, plus attorney’s fees.Antitrust investigations and litigation are lengthy, complex anddisruptive. Therefore, all companies and their employees must not onlycomply with the antitrust laws in fact, but must conduct themselves in amanner that avoids even the slightest suspicion that the law is beingviolated.If, at any point during a WGA meeting or workshop, you feel thediscussion has drifted into inappropriate areas, you should immediatelybring this to the attention of the person chairing the meeting. 2008 Convention Issue WISCONSIN GROCER 21