On Wednesday I was FE Supervisor and we'd had numerous call ins on the Front End. Entering our dinner rush I had only 1 Cashier and 1 Courtesy Clerk. Three people to run a five register store. While covers my position, Guest Care and our UScan my co-manager called down to tell me to "Stop slacking off and pick it up." She called because we had begun to dip. Having already pages 1+1 she refused to help on the Front End so I went upstairs to plead my case. Once I began talking she told me to,"Shut up." and to,"Stop whining and go fix your mess."
I left the office area and went to find my Store Manager who was in the middle of a store walk through, I tried the best I could to pull him aside and explain the situation. He told me he didn't have time to listen to me and sent me to tell the Co-Manager to assist me on the Front End. I found the Co-Manager close to the Front End and started explaining what the Store Manager said and she refused to let me start. Instead she too told me she didn't have time to listen to me cry and turns and walked away.
In front of all of our guests and my little staff I had, she left me there. In my frustration I started to cry, I know it's not the most glorious thing to admit, but I left the building.
I walk to work so I shuffled home. When I did contact the store the Store Manager had already left but was being told I had committed "Job Abandonment" and I was already terminated. Even before I could even return to the store that day the paperwork had already been filed.
When I went in on Friday for my regular shift, I clocked in and had a meeting with the Store Manager to which he stone walled me and refused to listen to anything complaint I had. I did have a union representative present.
I get walking out is wrong but under the circumstances what was I going to do? Stand in front of everyone having a breakdown?
So I really want to know if anyone has help? I filed a union grievance but thought while I wait I should dig into this myself.
The managers did wrong you, but honestly, you should have expected this from walking out, especially being the front end lead.
Look, I can cope with you a little bit. I work in the meat and seafood department in my store, a really big store with two like fifteen or so foot long service cases. When I closed for a whole year, they put me completely alone for 4-6 hours at least once or twice every single week, and always in the middle of the dinner rush. I had to man both service counters, cook orders with the stupid steamer, and stock the entire sales floor, beef, pork, chicken, some of the seafood, everything. Now that I work mornings, it's kind of the same. It's usually just me, the market manger, a meat cutter, and sometimes somebody way down in lunch meat. And guess what? Every single morning, even on busy weekends, I have to beg for help on the service counters, and will get help from the others for like a couple customers. All while I am literally trying to do at least six other things that have to be done. And I never walked out. Wanted to so badly, being under staffed and over worked (and in a bigger store than your's, op) and putting up with stupid things like the steamer and dumb picky customers. But I never walked out.
You were the front end lead for that shift. You had duties, controlling the front, and you walked out under some pressure and dickish managers not helping you out. I'm not trying to sound mean, but you really need to suck it up and show some spine. When you are boss, even just up at the front, you have to put up with crap. Everyone has their job, and cannot always help all of the time. Next time, really, do not walk out. That is a huge no no, not to mention immature. I hate to sound mean, but it's true.
Now is this grounds for immediate termination? Not sure. Look over you employee and union handbook and see.
It sounds like you care too much about your job. You let it affect your life too much. If I had that many call outs I would just run with it. We get 2-3 call outs a day and not enough scheduled help all the time. If people have to wait, so be it.
I've heard before that "job abandonment" is grounds for termination, but let the union do what they can. You might be able to fight it, you might not.
That said, some managers really are dicks. Not all but some. There's only so much you can do with only one cashier and one CC. There's only so much "side help" you can call up. I don't really get what "mess" they expected you to be able to clean up for them with what you were given!
Then again, i know how you feel. I work in a small store with like no help in my department, one of my employees has worked there for YEARS but really doesn't much at all, just what she feels like doing that day (which is never much at all) and yet it's all on me when it comes time for these store walks and such. I get that's part of being a department head but still.
-- Edited by 4hourrush on Friday 16th of December 2016 07:26:12 PM
The surrounding departments come to help, I started in Produce part time and helped everyone through some rough 16 hour weeks. I know the pain of going to a register when you have your own butt to cover. I call 1+1 was management is slow so I'd usually see my friends and call for them. I'd rope them off ASAP and help cover their guests in return or take their calls. Only thing is, management will slowly burn those bridges. I started praising people for doing great jobs, slowly over the last few months with management running people out of the store I've been apologizing more than praising.
Someone said I care too much, yea because I do. I really do care about our store. Starting part time stocking fruit at night has lead to my wage being double and being a supervisor. I still have a FE lead that couldn't lead himself out of a tunnel with neon signs leading the way. I'm stuck between being in charge and just being a cashier. I've only been with the store for a couple of years but I have passion for what I do. Which is why it's embarrassing to stand there in front of, what are essentially all my friends, crying. Sole reason to split.
Kinda of a weak thing to say, I know.
We did have a co manger walk out a couple months ago but after we swapped store managers the co manager returned. Blew my mind, he did the same thing! Store manager and HR told me they're different from us because they're more valued. Seems like BS.
Eitherway our union rep is setting up a meeting so we'll find out.
