Our District Mgr. at Ralphs came in today and instructed all male, non union mgrs. to longer make small friendly banter with any female. They are to say good morning and only talk about business. No member of mgmt. is to have any meeting with any female without another witness being there, preferably a female. This is because of the ever increasing accusations. Im not talking about groping. Apparently any smile can be interpreted as learing. Yes, the women may view this as an over reaction and then claim hostile work environment, but HR has decided that is easier to do deal with. This has filtered down to all dept mgrs. who are union throughout the district and surrounding districts.
So now, starting tomorrow I will only talk to men. The union has been made aware of this because they suggested all male workers keep an arms distance from all women.
Ralphs needs to address this with all Dist Mgrs, because no longer in our store are the males greeting any females other than good morning, no smile, nothing. Our defense is that we are to engage our customers and be friendly. This can be interpreted by union lawyers as a fine line and they feel these terminations and suspensions can be defended as the company has endorsed our friendly mandate. What is the line between being friendly and perceived harassment.
As a co-manager, non union, I now record every conversation with a female.
We are already video recorded, the lawyer a few of us in Management contacted says we are then allowed to record. We do not have to let the other person know.
I cant speak to all areas of Ralphs, but those in Los Angeles in 4 districts.......
Absolutely true. Allegations, investigations, suspensions.. And they wonder nobody wants to be in mgmt. Female privilege. Any other KMA out there having the same issue. Ask Your non union mgmt. Just wait till these managers file lawsuits. This will cost the company $ just to defend this.
Thinking over the years, 95% of the Mgmt staff/Department head would have been terminated years ago. But then again, the associates would have told the other person off......even if they were higher ranking. But then again, I can see where the original poster is coming from, you can compliment someone on their outfit and it would be considered harassment. "That is a nice blouse" - Your looking at the females chest.
Our District Mgr. at Ralphs came in today and instructed all male, non union mgrs. to longer make small friendly banter with any female. They are to say good morning and only talk about business. No member of mgmt. is to have any meeting with any female without another witness being there, preferably a female. This is because of the ever increasing accusations. Im not talking about groping. Apparently any smile can be interpreted as learing. Yes, the women may view this as an over reaction and then claim hostile work environment, but HR has decided that is easier to do deal with. This has filtered down to all dept mgrs. who are union throughout the district and surrounding districts.
So now, starting tomorrow I will only talk to men. The union has been made aware of this because they suggested all male workers keep an arms distance from all women.
Ralphs needs to address this with all Dist Mgrs, because no longer in our store are the males greeting any females other than good morning, no smile, nothing. Our defense is that we are to engage our customers and be friendly. This can be interpreted by union lawyers as a fine line and they feel these terminations and suspensions can be defended as the company has endorsed our friendly mandate. What is the line between being friendly and perceived harassment.
As a co-manager, non union, I now record every conversation with a female.
We are already video recorded, the lawyer a few of us in Management contacted says we are then allowed to record. We do not have to let the other person know.
I cant speak to all areas of Ralphs, but those in Los Angeles in 4 districts.......
I will no longer higher any female....
Good grief that is beyond asinine. But if it were to go down at my store EVERYBODY would have some level of "harassment" paper work in their folder. As we are always being somewhat silly and dirty about different things with each other. Nobody is groping mind you. But it's just all in making the time go by and we are more or less on friendly terms like that anyway.
However, my DH, can stand to have some lessons on over sharing. Namely in regards to telling us that his wife needs to take on a special mission to find him some pajama bottoms for the pajama dress up tomorrow. As he sleeps in the buff. Don't believe anybody really asked him for all of that info and please someone invent mental eye bleach soon!
Absolutely true. Allegations, investigations, suspensions.. And they wonder nobody wants to be in mgmt. Female privilege. Any other KMA out there having the same issue. Ask Your non union mgmt. Just wait till these managers file lawsuits. This will cost the company $ just to defend this.
Are you daft? Just asking. Because there's no "female privilege" in any way, shape, or form. Instead of harping on women, ironically enough, I'd focus on the bad management the company keeps around that's making this necessary to have to filter down like this. Instead of firing the bad actors who've obviously harassed women and it's known. And secondly as a woman, let me tell you about harassment I've seen insubordinates gives female managers and there's nothing the women can do. Or the number of customers who sexually harass the young women on the floor with very unwanted and crude comments. Or the way young male coworkers talk about their women coworkers not in the room. If you don't like the new rules, take it up with the men who can't be respectful from jump. It's not on us to do that. It's your job.
The problem with Ralphs is a toxic environment led by Robbie Brandtt and Valerie who have installed a hostile work environment who threaten all managers, all the time. Yes, I have worked for 20 years and the past couple of years is aweful. You wouldn't believe how many managers are recording ALL conference calls and copying all emails. Lawsuits are right around the corner.......
Ralphs apparently the most hostile KMA. I hear Smiths is the best.
Of course we know that there ARE alot of instances of men being predators, and sexually harassing co-workers, both women and (occasionally) men.
However, the mass media "me too' bandwagon is getting totally out of control. Some of the guys being accused are being 'thrown under the bus' and the accusers,(along with the obliging media... "journalists, so-called") who are quick to believe anything nowadays, and pass it along to the public without careful investigation, are acting as judge, jury and executioner. No trial, no proper procedures, no due process required by law. The guy is fired frim his job, out the door, and don't let the door hit you on your way out. What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"?
Just today I heard on a national talk radio show (Michael Medved) about some guy who was fired from his job because during a lunch or dinner date with a female co-worker (just a casual meal, perhaps a business meal, or a real 'date', I'm not sure), the guy had the NERVE to say that she had "eyes that were memorable". Can you imagine how insane this is getting? Are we not allowed to say nice things to women without them trying to turn it into some major harassment? Trying to read the worst possible motive into every little action? For years I have occasionally said things like "you like nice in that dress" or "your hair looks pretty when you have it done like that" or other things, which I KNOW in my heart without a doubt are TOTALLY INNOCENT, no harm intended, no flirting intended, just being nice and friendly.
There is such a thing as going TOO OVERBOARD ONTO THE OTHER SIDE............... after awhile, it could get so bad that women could get people fired that are totally innocent and well-meaning, just because their accuser dislikes them. How fair is that?
There has to be ways to investigate these claims, so we can be sure someone is telling the truth, and not just trying to end the career of someone who meant no harm, and was trying to be friendly, as Kroger wants us to be.
Some of the same "hot shot" people in Hollyweird that are trying to act so SHOCKED and HORRIFIED about all this harassment of women are some of the SAME sleazy people who write, produce, direct, and act in Hollywierd's disgusting trashy scum R-rated movies like Hangover...... all kinds of nasty jokes, sexual situations, smutty language, drug use, bad behavior of all kinds are encouraged, glorified, engaged in, applauded, watched in movies, and they laugh and joke and giggle and mock and snicker and...............NOW...................... now they like to pretend how horrified they are if a man flirts with a woman. Totally disgusting HYPOCRITES!!!
And I'm sure some of the same type of people are in Kroger as those in Hollywood and Washington DC. They make me SICK!
Frankly, I'm getting rather suspicious of all these so-called sexual misconduct claims that seem to be occuring more and more frequently. For one thing, it's always about an "incident" that allegedly occured several years ago. So the accused has no proof that it never happened. Everyone just assumes the person making the accusation is telling the truth. The second thing is it's never just one person doing the accusing. It's always at least a half dozen or more saying, "Me too." It makes me wonder if someone isn't organizing these take-downs.
Our District Mgr. at Ralphs came in today and instructed all male, non union mgrs. to longer make small friendly banter with any female. They are to say good morning and only talk about business. No member of mgmt. is to have any meeting with any female without another witness being there, preferably a female. This is because of the ever increasing accusations. Im not talking about groping. Apparently any smile can be interpreted as learing. Yes, the women may view this as an over reaction and then claim hostile work environment, but HR has decided that is easier to do deal with. This has filtered down to all dept mgrs. who are union throughout the district and surrounding districts.
So now, starting tomorrow I will only talk to men. The union has been made aware of this because they suggested all male workers keep an arms distance from all women.
Ralphs needs to address this with all Dist Mgrs, because no longer in our store are the males greeting any females other than good morning, no smile, nothing. Our defense is that we are to engage our customers and be friendly. This can be interpreted by union lawyers as a fine line and they feel these terminations and suspensions can be defended as the company has endorsed our friendly mandate. What is the line between being friendly and perceived harassment.
As a co-manager, non union, I now record every conversation with a female.
We are already video recorded, the lawyer a few of us in Management contacted says we are then allowed to record. We do not have to let the other person know.
I cant speak to all areas of Ralphs, but those in Los Angeles in 4 districts.......
I will no longer higher any female....
Well if comanagers can secretly record then as a regular employee I will record too.
Absolutely true. Allegations, investigations, suspensions.. And they wonder nobody wants to be in mgmt. Female privilege. Any other KMA out there having the same issue. Ask Your non union mgmt. Just wait till these managers file lawsuits. This will cost the company $ just to defend this.
Im glad Kroger is going "overboard". Managers step over the line quite often. Kroger managers are notorious for sexual harrasment. Even people who have never worked for Kroger know this. Only thing is they should extend that protection to o male employees too, because male employees get harrased too.
Ralphs people are getting fired left and right. There are FEM that don't want to be co managers because of no union protection. When HR came in, as shop steward, told all union people to not be interviewed. I told HR to call OUR union rep. We will not be part of a witch hunt
Some people at work stand in front of the mirror for hours making them look good, wear a loose bra so their boobs bounce when they walk and tight black pants so tight their camel toe shows
Absolutely true. Allegations, investigations, suspensions.. And they wonder nobody wants to be in mgmt. Female privilege. Any other KMA out there having the same issue. Ask Your non union mgmt. Just wait till these managers file lawsuits. This will cost the company $ just to defend this.
Im glad Kroger is going "overboard". Managers step over the line quite often. Kroger managers are notorious for sexual harrasment. Even people who have never worked for Kroger know this. Only thing is they should extend that protection to o male employees too, because male employees get harrased too.
We had a store manager drive home an early 20's cashier once. Very suspicious. Would also openly flirt with cashiers (all young women that he personally hired) and it was so obvious that even customers were complaining about it. Of course nobody did anything and he was only replaced because he ran the store into the ground. But I can say, my current manager and the two co-managers are good people and I'd be surprised to find out that any of them were harassing employees. The last store manager? It was obvious the first week he was working at the store.
