Um … thanks? A&P warns 3,700 N.J. workers of Thanksgiving layoffs

Well, that's a lovely way to start off the holiday season.

Montvale-based A&P — which also owns the Pathmark and Superfresh chains — has filed federally required layoff notices for 3,781 New Jersey employees, effective Thanksgiving day.

The layoffs are at the 45 Garden State stores the company plans to sell as part of its pending bankruptcy (there's a full list of those locations at A&P's website about the process). The company is also shutting down another 10 stores.

The WARN notices show the impacts of the layoffs spread throughout New Jersey, with the biggest hit at an Ortley Beach store, where 164 people would be let go. But several sites top 100 layoffs.

NJ.com reports the employees' union has been arguing bankruptcy court that workers' contracts should be honored, and seniority should be maintained. It quoted John T. Nicollai, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 464A: "It's very tough. I get phone calls every day from members," Nicollai said Friday. "It's not numbers. It's people. It's lives."

In July, A&P filed another 867 notices for New Jersey layoffs, effective Sept 19.

The layoffs at each store:

Allendale: 104
Avenel: 86
Basking Ridge: 66
Belvidere: 64
Bergenfield: 132
Blairstown: 102
Bloomfield: 46
Boonton Township: 99
Bricktown: 80
Califon: 55
Clark: 125
Clinton: 54
Closter: 92
Denville: 111
Edgewater: 160
Edison: 72
Elizabeth: 76
Elmwood Park: 121
Fairlawn: 101
Fairview: 100
Fanwood: 72
Fort Lee: 145
Garwood: 98
Hackettstown: 6
Haskell: 7
Hewitt: 85
Hoboken: 104
Jersey City: 103
Kenilworth: 157
Ledgewood: 13
Little Silver: 62
Mahwah: 138
Marlboro: 64
Metuchen: 13
Midland Park: 162
North Brunswick: 103
Montclair: 76
Mt Olive: 88
Navesink: 38
New Providence: 102
Oak Ridge: 98
Old Bridge: 116
Old Tappan: 76
Ortley Beach: 164
Park Ridge: 88
Point Pleasant Beach: 13
Pompton Lakes: 100
Randolph: 87
Saddle Brook: 97
South Plainfield: 117
Summit: 10
Sussex: 107