Employee and Retiree Benefits (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2015

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet [Table Text Block]

Postretirement health care and deferred compensation benefits are as follows:

(In thousands)	February 28, 2015			August 30, 2014
Postretirement health care benefit cost	$	35,829		$	36,930
Non-qualified deferred compensation	20,313			21,014
Executive share option plan liability	5,206			5,628
SERP benefit liability	3,025			2,974
Executive deferred compensation	290			213
Officer stock-based compensation	387			627
Total postretirement health care and deferred compensation benefits	65,050			67,386
Less current portion (1)	(5,420		)	(4,575		)
Long-term postretirement health care and deferred compensation benefits	$	59,630		$	62,811

Schedule of Postretirement Plan Amendments [Table Text Block]

Changes in the postretirement benefit plan include:

Date	Event	Dollar Cap Reduction	Liability Reduction (In thousands)		Amortization Period
Fiscal 2005	Established employer dollar caps
January 2012	Reduced employer dollar caps	10%	$	4,598	7.8	years
January 2013	Reduced employer dollar caps	10%	$	4,289	7.5	years
January 2014	Reduced employer dollar caps	10%	$	3,580	7.3	years
January 2015	Reduced employer dollar caps	10%	$	1,524	7.1	years

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

Net periodic postretirement benefit income consisted of the following components:

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
(In thousands)	February 28, 2015			March 1, 2014			February 28, 2015			March 1, 2014
Interest cost	$	332		$	386		$	685		$	780
Service cost	103			98			213			200
Amortization of prior service benefit	(1,327		)	(1,405		)	(2,620		)	(2,686		)
Amortization of net actuarial loss	351			269			667			529
Net periodic postretirement benefit income	$	(541	)	$	(652	)	$	(1,055	)	$	(1,177	)
Payments for postretirement health care	$	225		$	259		$	476		$	532