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Post Info TOPIC: Thinking about quitting already.


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Thinking about quitting already.
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I'm a full time student, and I figured I might as well get a job to help pay for some necessities while I'm in school.  I just started working at Kroger on Friday; And by just started working, I mean I finished my orientation already, and just started training two days ago (if you can call it training).

I was hired as a stocker in produce.  Originally I was hired for grocery, but for a reason that was unknown to me at the time, I was spontaneously switched to produce the day of orientation.  I found out later it was because there were two people who had been practically begging to get out of produce and move to grocery, so guess who took one of those spots.  (I was later thanked by one of the employees that moved for helping him get out of there, and he advised that I head for the door and don't look back)  Anyway, I met the department manager Friday.  He seemed pretty nice, but I noticed how into his job he was - like it was an addiction that he thought about night and day.  For him maybe it's a good thing, but it's not so great for employees, especially new hires.  He didn't "train" me.  He just very quickly brushed over the details of literally everything he could possibly think of, rolled his eyes if I had a question, and as quick as he could, told me to go out on the floor and work because he had stuff to do.  So, there I was.  The only employee in the department at the time, working by myself, with very minimal knowledge of what's even going on, and with no one to ask questions to unless I wanted to track down the manager, wherever he may be, and deal with the eye rolling.  On top of that, about 5 hours into the shift, I got a nice little speech from him about how I'm too slow, and how he's giving me a week to be as fast as him, or I'll not stop hearing about it.  He then went on to brag about how he has caused many people to cry (and some to cry AND quit) over him pestering them about their speed on a daily basis.  Like he deserved a trophy for it.

Maybe this is normal for Kroger, but I can tell you right now: this is NOT my first job, but it IS the first time I've had to work in an enviroment like this, and I am simply not going back to this place, period.  Besides all of that, I was appalled to find out that the union fee was $12.50 on this first check.  If that's a continuous thing, then I'll be paying $50 a month (on a part time, minimum hourly wage) for something that I was told I HAD to do to complete the new hire paper work and start job orientation.



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I wouldn't quit just for those reasons.

If you can easily replace this job with something less stressful, then go for it.  Focus on your education.  Don't let this stumbling block knock the wind out of you.  I would let the store manager or co manager know you are not returning so you can tell them what the produce manager said about you being too slow.  It might help the next victim in the department.

You are new, you have 60-90 days to prove yourself(your speed) or store management should let you go.  You should know in about a month what speed you are capable of.  Generally, the department manager can only let the store managers know you are not up to snuff.  At our store, the store managers dislike letting slow new hires go.

As for training, welcome to Kroger.  The video training can only teach you basic principles.  Hands on training(taught by a seasoned employee) is the best way to learn.  I know the manager might be anal and sound like an *******, but that would be the best person to learn from.  Even if they are a goofball.

As for union dues, dam, that sucks.  I want to guess you are in California making more than $9 an hour.  But, here $50 is about 10 hours labor for a new hire.

 



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Well, as for the union fee, they're higher in the first few checks because it's incorporating the initiation fee (unless you opted to pay a lump sum). The typical weekly flat rate is 8.50 in my local (but then again, minimum wage is 9 dollars here too). It's not bad at all.

But Eye-Roller sounds like a real charmer! Can't imagine why you wouldn't want to work with him.

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jtd13926 wrote:

I'm a full time student, and I figured I might as well get a job to help pay for some necessities while I'm in school.  I just started working at Kroger on Friday; And by just started working, I mean I finished my orientation already, and just started training two days ago (if you can call it training).

I was hired as a stocker in produce.  Originally I was hired for grocery, but for a reason that was unknown to me at the time, I was spontaneously switched to produce the day of orientation.  I found out later it was because there were two people who had been practically begging to get out of produce and move to grocery, so guess who took one of those spots.  (I was later thanked by one of the employees that moved for helping him get out of there, and he advised that I head for the door and don't look back)  Anyway, I met the department manager Friday.  He seemed pretty nice, but I noticed how into his job he was - like it was an addiction that he thought about night and day.  For him maybe it's a good thing, but it's not so great for employees, especially new hires.  He didn't "train" me.  He just very quickly brushed over the details of literally everything he could possibly think of, rolled his eyes if I had a question, and as quick as he could, told me to go out on the floor and work because he had stuff to do.  So, there I was.  The only employee in the department at the time, working by myself, with very minimal knowledge of what's even going on, and with no one to ask questions to unless I wanted to track down the manager, wherever he may be, and deal with the eye rolling.  On top of that, about 5 hours into the shift, I got a nice little speech from him about how I'm too slow, and how he's giving me a week to be as fast as him, or I'll not stop hearing about it.  He then went on to brag about how he has caused many people to cry (and some to cry AND quit) over him pestering them about their speed on a daily basis.  Like he deserved a trophy for it.

Maybe this is normal for Kroger, but I can tell you right now: this is NOT my first job, but it IS the first time I've had to work in an enviroment like this, and I am simply not going back to this place, period.  Besides all of that, I was appalled to find out that the union fee was $12.50 on this first check.  If that's a continuous thing, then I'll be paying $50 a month (on a part time, minimum hourly wage) for something that I was told I HAD to do to complete the new hire paper work and start job orientation.


 

I would normally advise you to continue to stick it out.
But your management sounds almost as bad as the woman whom I have at my store.
If he really said the things you claim, I'm not sure I would want to work for someone like that.
Give it a week or two if you can, see what happens.
By the way here my union dues are around $7 per check so I'm dropping about $30 a month on it.



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Kroger sucks.



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FrontEndSlave wrote:
jtd13926 wrote:

I'm a full time student, and I figured I might as well get a job to help pay for some necessities while I'm in school.  I just started working at Kroger on Friday; And by just started working, I mean I finished my orientation already, and just started training two days ago (if you can call it training).

I was hired as a stocker in produce.  Originally I was hired for grocery, but for a reason that was unknown to me at the time, I was spontaneously switched to produce the day of orientation.  I found out later it was because there were two people who had been practically begging to get out of produce and move to grocery, so guess who took one of those spots.  (I was later thanked by one of the employees that moved for helping him get out of there, and he advised that I head for the door and don't look back)  Anyway, I met the department manager Friday.  He seemed pretty nice, but I noticed how into his job he was - like it was an addiction that he thought about night and day.  For him maybe it's a good thing, but it's not so great for employees, especially new hires.  He didn't "train" me.  He just very quickly brushed over the details of literally everything he could possibly think of, rolled his eyes if I had a question, and as quick as he could, told me to go out on the floor and work because he had stuff to do.  So, there I was.  The only employee in the department at the time, working by myself, with very minimal knowledge of what's even going on, and with no one to ask questions to unless I wanted to track down the manager, wherever he may be, and deal with the eye rolling.  On top of that, about 5 hours into the shift, I got a nice little speech from him about how I'm too slow, and how he's giving me a week to be as fast as him, or I'll not stop hearing about it.  He then went on to brag about how he has caused many people to cry (and some to cry AND quit) over him pestering them about their speed on a daily basis.  Like he deserved a trophy for it.

Maybe this is normal for Kroger, but I can tell you right now: this is NOT my first job, but it IS the first time I've had to work in an enviroment like this, and I am simply not going back to this place, period.  Besides all of that, I was appalled to find out that the union fee was $12.50 on this first check.  If that's a continuous thing, then I'll be paying $50 a month (on a part time, minimum hourly wage) for something that I was told I HAD to do to complete the new hire paper work and start job orientation.


 

I would normally advise you to continue to stick it out.
But your management sounds almost as bad as the woman whom I have at my store.
If he really said the things you claim, I'm not sure I would want to work for someone like that.
Give it a week or two if you can, see what happens.
By the way here my union dues are around $7 per check so I'm dropping about $30 a month on it.


 I think I'm going to agree with this. Even as far as Kroger supervisors go, the produce manager just sounds unrealistic. I would never work for ANYONE who BRAGGED about making people miserable. And as for the union... Are you in a right-to-work state or not? If you are, then you didn't need to join the union. Never blindly follow what some slack-jawed yokel at orientation tells you to do. Read EVERYTHING before you sign it. I know it's too late for this job, but later on READ, READ, READ. You can't get in trouble for reading something and finishing orientation should not be treated like a race.



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I think it's time to meet your union rep!  You were hired for grocery, now you are in produce being threatened by the man that two employees told you they were glad they weren't working for anymore. Time for a pow wow with the chief.  I'd fight back before I quit - just for fun.  Just saying - you want to leave anyway - give em hell first.

 

 



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jtd13926 wrote:
  He didn't "train" me.  He just very quickly brushed over the details of literally everything he could possibly think of, rolled his eyes if I had a question, and as quick as he could, told me to go out on the floor and work because he had stuff to do.  So, there I was.  The only employee in the department at the time, working by myself, with very minimal knowledge of what's even going on, and with no one to ask questions to unless I wanted to track down the manager, wherever he may be, and deal with the eye rolling.  On top of that, about 5 hours into the shift, I got a nice little speech from him about how I'm too slow, and how he's giving me a week to be as fast as him, or I'll not stop hearing about it.  He then went on to brag about how he has caused many people to cry (and some to cry AND quit) over him pestering them about their speed on a daily basis.  Like he deserved a trophy for it.

 


 Yes the word "training" is a JOKE! The person that trained me was at least cool enough to answer questions and treated me like a person which is RARE in kroger. Many others on the forum will tell you there were basically thrown onto the floor to work their shift with little or no help. Unfortunately this is how this company operates meaning you and other person working for them is EXPENDABLE!

If you dont have to be there much longer and can leave then do it! It doesnt get much better.



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I've talked with four former Kroger employees in the last half year-----they all had an almost cloned, identical to the detail story. MINIMUM WAGE, PART TIME, UNION DUES. One of them works for at my Walmart store now (and by the way, for the newbies on here, YES, I am a Wally manager, but NO, I don't care about that place, or Kroger, or ANY retail job at this point).

The UFCW s u c k s.

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You are being forced to pay union dues before your probationary period is up? that's some stuff right there. I didn't have to pay that until i actually was hired and, at that time(5 years ago), it was 12/week until the init was up after 3 months - it dropped to 7.

Your produce manager is a total dick bag. I'd hide all the knives in the a box and put it in the freezer or something.

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Anonymous

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I can't believe these comments! LOL You would think with years of the same comments, that management would learn something. I am tired of trying to facilitate on how to team build and hold others accountable for their own work. Floor management was terrible! Inconceivable expectations, instead of saying "hey, this is what a benchmark employee could do after some experience" stocking the shelves shouldn't be stressful and it isn't! It was the people around me that broke me off. Some "friendly environment" lol no I'd teach them how to build a team, but my advice would be worth more then all the paychecks they gave me in the month that I lasted. Lol



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