NOTE 9 — BENEFIT PLANS

Substantially all employees of the Company are covered by various contributory and non-contributory pension, profit sharing or 401(k) plans. Union employees participate in multi-employer retirement plans under collective bargaining agreements, unless the collective bargaining agreement provides for participation in plans sponsored by the Company. In addition to sponsoring both defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans, the Company provides healthcare and life insurance benefits for eligible retired employees under postretirement benefit plans and short-term and long-term disability benefits to former and inactive employees prior to retirement under post-employment benefit plans. The terms of the postretirement benefit plans vary based on employment history, age and date of retirement. For most retirees, the Company provides a fixed dollar contribution and retirees pay contributions to fund the remaining cost.

Net periodic benefit expense for defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans consisted of the following:


	First Quarter Ended
	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	June 18,			June 19,			June 18,			June 19,
	2011			2010			2011			2010
Service cost	$	3		$	2		$	1		$	1
Interest cost		43			42			2			2
Expected return on assets		(39	)		(38	)		—			—
Amortization of prior service benefit		—			—			(2	)		(2	)
Amortization of net actuarial loss		29			21			1			1

Net periodic benefit expense	$	36		$	27		$	2		$	2

During the first quarter ended June 18, 2011, the Company made contributions of $30 to its pension plans and $2 to its other postretirement benefit plans.

Multi-Employer Plans

The Company contributes to various multi-employer pension plans under collective bargaining agreements, primarily defined benefit pension plans. These plans generally provide retirement benefits to participants based on their service to contributing employers. Based on available information, the Company believes that some of the multi-employer plans to which it contributes are underfunded. Company contributions to these plans could increase in the near term. However, the amount of any increase or decrease in contributions will depend on a variety of factors, including the results of the Company’s collective bargaining efforts, investment returns on the assets held in the plans, actions taken by the trustees who manage the plans and requirements under the Pension Protection Act and Section 412(e) of the Internal Revenue Code. Furthermore, if the Company was to significantly reduce contributions, exit certain markets or otherwise cease making contributions to these plans, it could trigger a partial or complete withdrawal that would require the Company to recognize its proportionate share of a plan’s unfunded vested benefits. During the first quarter ended June 18, 2011 and June 19, 2010, the Company contributed $40 and $42 to these plans, respectively.

The Company also makes contributions to multi-employer health and welfare plans in amounts set forth in the related collective bargaining agreements. A small minority of collective bargaining agreements contain reserve requirements that may trigger unanticipated contributions resulting in increased healthcare expenses. If these healthcare provisions cannot be renegotiated in a manner that reduces the prospective healthcare cost as the Company intends, the Company’s Selling and administrative expenses could increase in the future.