I worked Sunday, the comanager called me in the office and had a write up. Some bogus stuff she made up. Said I yelled at a customer and threw her chips and when the lady got home her chips were crushed and she called the store. Really? The day I was so sick I could barely stand up and I asked to go home? That day? There were hardly any customers, and most of them were very sympathetic. I worked 6 am to 10 am. We weren't even busy. Nobody was angry. I didn't throw any chips. And why wouldn't a customer say something to me? If your chips were thrown, wouldn't you demand to talk to a manager AND get another bag of chips BEFORE you left the store? She's lying. I didn't sign it.
I was off Monday and Tuesday and worked 10 - 4 today. Our HR lady came to my register and said "you need to sign this". I was with customers!! I looked at the sheet and it was the comanagers handwriting, saying I didn't follow procedure and wear a glove. (The day I cut my finger in floral). I told her no, I would talk to my union rep about it. So at 3:55 today I was called into the office. There was the comanager with that paper. She said "here's your CA, you need to sign it before you leave". I told her no, I don't. My union rep said not to talk to you about the injury without him present. So she said "you have until Monday, you better get him in here by Monday" really hateful.
Oh, she handed me a brand new glove. She said it was mine to keep. How sweet. She also gave one to everyone in the floral department. Well gee, thanks. We haven't had any there in the 3 years I've worked at Kroger. I even asked for one last year, asked if I needed one and was told they didn't have any. Nobody wears a glove, nobody told me I had to wear one. We didn't even have any until today. I can't wait until my union rep rips into her. She's just trying to blame me for everything.
Plus I asked her that day when she gave me 30 minutes to do 2 1/2 hours work to show me how to do it. She didn't say wear your glove, cut the stems, put in preservative etc. etc. I did ask her how to do it that day and no mention of a glove so she can just deal with it when my union rep shows up.
She said we have always had gloves. Then why did they start passing out new gloves today? It just doesn't add up. She will have to write up every single employee that has worked in floral for the last 3 years and there are at least 5 still there now.
She just makes me so damn mad. Can't wait to see what she tries to write me up for tomorrow. Doesn't it seem strange that after I get hurt, the write ups start? And who brings it to the checkstand when you are with customers? She just was hoping I would be too busy to know it was a write up. I asked the HR lady what it was and she just said to sign it. No.
The comanagers little pet floor supervisor is starting to harass me too. Like changing the union rules to no break if you only work 4 hours. She knows better. She just does it to me. Might have to file a grievance against her too.
What can I do to keep from being written up by that bitch every day when I go to work? I would think it would be obvious what's going on.
Also, do you have to wear a glove when you are using shears or scissors? I thought it was just for use with a knife. If so, they should have given me a video to watch, something in writing, or told me about it. They can't blame this one on me.
She better not push me to far, I might wipe blood on her LOL!
-- Edited by Ms White on Wednesday 7th of January 2015 06:43:05 PM
Not only does it sound like she was making you sign it in front of a customer so as to distract you, she was (intentionally, unintentionally, who knows?) demeaning you in public. Flagrant disregard for discretion- she obviously has zero respect for you as an employee. It is so beyond unprofessional behavior for those are supposedly representing a very successful business in a positive light. Corporate needs to know the little goings-on of everyday life at Kroger (and if they do (how could they not?)- shame on them). These twit floor supervisors have their little toehold on "authority", and they abuse it beyond belief. Stick with your union- do NOT give it to any of it. Not going to get started on the matter of gloves- we'll be here all night.
The store manager, both comanagers, FEM, and various department heads have all hung around the floral desk, used the computer there, etc. It amazes me that this whole time I was working in the floral department, right next to them in plain view, not a one of them said "heh, use a glove" or "why aren't you wearing a glove?"
I guess I better hope my union rep shows up by Monday or she might write us both up for not following her instructions. I hope he gets to see her mad with her eyes all popped out. It's freaky lol!
Hopefully with your union rep you will have some firepower.
Such abuses no longer surprise me. This company lets thing go till they REALLY become problems then they "try" to fix it and then its too late and situations like this have left there effect!
Mrs. White, please, PLEASE make sure you are documenting everything. I'd get a small notebook you can stash in your pocket. Write down everything that's said to you, who was there that might have heard it/witnessed it, dates and times. No matter how small the detail, document, document, document. Don't be afraid to bring this up in any meetings, especially in reference to the part where the HR person approached you with a write up to sign at the register. That is against what procedures should be for presenting writeups, and you can refer the Union rep to this for the fact that it SHOULD be on video (If they're on DVR style cameras, the video is stored for 30 days). Your documentation is going to be what saves you and forms your case. Based on what you've posted so far, you are pretty close to having a full blown harassment case.
Also, memorize your Weingarten rights --> "If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative, officer, or steward be present at this meeting. Until my representative arrives, I choose not to participate in this discussion." Be polite, smile when you say it, but be firm. DO NOT BEND on this.
This management team is toxic, and I hope you stick it to them.
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My views don't reflect those of anyone, not even me. I may not have even made this statement. It's all lies, all of it!
Yes--it looks like retaliation if not teetering into harassment.
Stick with your union- do NOT give it to any of it.
Ms. White, please, PLEASE make sure you are documenting everything. I'd get a small notebook you can stash in your pocket. Write down everything that's said to you, who was there that might have heard it/witnessed it, dates and times. No matter how small the detail, document, document, document. Don't be afraid to bring this up in any meetings, especially in reference to the part where the HR person approached you with a write up to sign at the register. That is against what procedures should be for presenting writeups, and you can refer the Union rep to this for the fact that it SHOULD be on video (If they're on DVR style cameras, the video is stored for 30 days). Your documentation is going to be what saves you and forms your case. Based on what you've posted so far, you are pretty close to having a full blown harassment case.
Also, memorize your Weingarten rights --> "If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative, officer, or steward be present at this meeting. Until my representative arrives, I choose not to participate in this discussion." Be polite, smile when you say it, but be firm. DO NOT BEND on this.
This management team is toxic, and I hope you stick it to them.
Well she called me into the office again this morning. She had that damn write up and the store union steward. She said she wanted me to sign it. I explained that no, I'm not going to say I didn't follow procedure when I didn't know there was one. I asked her why she had seen me over the last year working without a glove and didn't say anything. I named every single name of the managers, comanagers, department heads etc. that have seen me work and never said a word. I explained there were not gloves in that department etc. I told her I would write a statement saying everyone INCLUDING HER, never ever said a word to me about a glove. So I wrote a statement and gave it to her. She did back down and say she just wanted to be able to explain why it happened when she went to the meeting. What went wrong, etc. I avoided her question because my business agent said to let him handle it.
Oh she was so so nice today in the presence of our union steward. Actually faked like she was shocked I didn't know, concerned for my safety, etc. Hogwash!
Round one - I win!
It hasn't hit the fan yet though. She hasn't heard from my business agent. He assured me he would make sure that it NEVER happened to anyone again!
What sucks is my hands were shaking, my heart was pounding as I walked to the office. I swear I thought this was it. She was going to fire me. I shouldn't have to feel this way and this comanager is the cause of it all.
Well she called me into the office again this morning. She had that damn write up and the store union steward. She said she wanted me to sign it. I explained that no, I'm not going to say I didn't follow procedure when I didn't know there was one. I asked her why she had seen me over the last year working without a glove and didn't say anything. I named every single name of the managers, comanagers, department heads etc. that have seen me work and never said a word. I explained there were not gloves in that department etc. I told her I would write a statement saying everyone INCLUDING HER, never ever said a word to me about a glove. So I wrote a statement and gave it to her. She did back down and say she just wanted to be able to explain why it happened when she went to the meeting. What went wrong, etc. I avoided her question because my business agent said to let him handle it.
Oh she was so so nice today in the presence of our union steward. Actually faked like she was shocked I didn't know, concerned for my safety, etc. Hogwash!
Round one - I win!
It hasn't hit the fan yet though. She hasn't heard from my business agent. He assured me he would make sure that it NEVER happened to anyone again!
What sucks is my hands were shaking, my heart was pounding as I walked to the office. I swear I thought this was it. She was going to fire me. I shouldn't have to feel this way and this comanager is the cause of it all.
T
They are always "nice and understanding" when in the presence of someone who can actually hold their feet to the fire and watch them burn. It's probably how she got through all these years with the company... she's a total kiss ass and good at faking emotions that she knows she doesn't have.
Here's to hoping you get a premium settlement off this!
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
