I've been employed at my local store for about 2 months now. Our department (deli/bakery) has 8 people on the schedule, but 5 of us are being scheduled for only 2 days a week. One of those 5 WAS working 40 hours/week but her hours got completely shafted. The department lead said she's "lucky to be able to have every shift covered", but it's become apparent that just because you have enough people to cover the shifts, that doesn't mean you have enough people to cover the WORK. Keep in mind that I've barely been trained.
We had a horrible weekend at the beginning of April. I am always scheduled to close for my two shifts, 1pm-9pm. Our department lead left a list for us to complete April 2nd/3rd, because she was going to be off April 3rd and the head manager was coming back from vacation April 4th to do the walkthrough. The basic gist was that we were told if it didn't get done, everyone was getting a write-up.
April 2nd was a sh**-show to begin with, as I was expecting to empty the carts from the cooler to prep for a truck on the 3rd. I did the best I could, but my 10am-6pm kept disappearing from her job and being asked to do things for other departments... (her mom is the front end manager, there's a HUGE nepotism issue there). I was struggling to keep up with GrabNGo and the counter, ontop of carts and my close duties (which take longer than management said I'm "allowed" to take). Carts didn't completely get done and I left a note explaining as much. We're not allowed to stay past our clock out time, so I left at 9.
April 3rd, I go in at 1pm. The pallet from the truck is sat out on the floor, no one's touched it. GrabNGo is almost empty. The department secondary said they'd been absolutely swamped all morning. I start working on the cart, but keep having to go back to the counter. The secondary leaves, my 10-6 has to do an extra round of chicken. By 3:30pm, grabngo is COMPLETELY EMPTY and we haven't had time to try and restock it. She's doing chicken and counter, I'm doing truck and counter. Multiple things on the pallet were broken and leaking everywhere, causing a huge mess I had to clean. I got everything from the truck sorted on to carts and they had to sit there while I handled the rush on the counter.
Needless to say, the carts didn't get finished. I didn't have time to restock grabngo. I also didn't have time to make extra for the next day, and I couldn't do second chance sandwiches. I barely had enough time to finish my cleaning duties. I left another note on the back of my closing instructions, clearly spelling out what got done, what didn't get done, WHY it didn't. And very directly expressing that we needed a third person on the schedule in order to cover everything expected of us. This isn't the first of such notes I've had to leave, though I've been respectful in what I write on them.
Apparently, Management is NOT happy with me about the notes, they don't want to schedule us for more hours because that means paying for overtime. They want the work to be done a specific way but don't want to know what's going on in the department? That sounds like a management issue and not a me issue. I can find no corporate policy indicating that our hours should be limited to 2 days per week. Per the union agreement, anyone averaging under 32 hours/week is considered part time, meaning they could schedule us for a third day and still be compliant with the union agreement. The head manager won't sign off on that. (Multiple departments have major issues with her. She blatantly ignored a mold issue in another department and nothing was done until someone went over her head to District.)
I'm expecting to walk in to a write up on my next shift, but they probably don't expect me to have read the union booklet. Unless they can provide a Union representative, I'm not having any discussions. And no matter what, I'm not signing off on any write up, because I did nothing wrong. I did what I could with the time given. If they won't give us more time (and PAY US for that time), and they expect me to leave at 9, I'm leaving at 9 regardless of what's gotten done.
Most departments are scheduled like that. A lot of work but never enough time to do everything well. Standard operating procedure. The retail way anywhere you go. Not just Kroger.
Each department is allowed to schedule so many hours each week per ELMS hours allowed. ELMS is a tool that calculates hours based on several criteria. The department manager is writing the schedule per what ELMS says it takes to get the job done each week.
That is why everyone is getting scheduled 2 days a week. My contract says they have to schedule part timers at least 12 hours a week. I have seen cashiers have 0 hours one week and 12 hours the next a long time ago. This way they can not sign up for unemployment.
If you are trying your best to juggle the work and improving as much as possible, then you are probably not the issue.
You have put thought into this in an intelligible way. You have confidence in yourself. Don't let this job take that away from you. Don't get stressed out over this job.
The fun part is, that per the union handbook, people can be called in to cover "vacated shifts or increased workload." Our department lead wasn't in, so she couldn't approve calling someone in, and the head manager has a history of throwing a hissy fit whenever they have to find someone to cover. So we couldn't get anyone approved to come in anyway.
You can only do so much with the time given. If they want xxx and xxx done while walking through a pride of rabid starving lions, then they NEED to schedule more help to get the work done. Have you ever decided to stay later and get the work done? It they complain about overtime, politely say, "you wanted all the work done by xxx time. The work is complete. Why are you TRYING TO threaten to write me up? Which do you want? Me leaving on time and not get iij ng all assignments done or me staying until the work is done?"
You can only do so much with the time given. If they want xxx and xxx done while walking through a pride of rabid starving lions, then they NEED to schedule more help to get the work done. Have you ever decided to stay later and get the work done? It they complain about overtime, politely say, "you wanted all the work done by xxx time. The work is complete. Why are you TRYING TO threaten to write me up? Which do you want? Me leaving on time and not get iij ng all assignments done or me staying until the work is done?"
I can't just stay over my shift time, I'd have to go up to the office and ask permission and wait to see if it gets approved. I've not been given an opportunity to meet most of the management, I have no idea who the night manager is or who I'd have to talk to in order to try and get overtime cleared if the head manager isn't present. If there's a situation where the department could really benefit from it, I can try to find out. But that day, one hour wasn't going to make much of any difference. Honestly by the end of my shift, I just wanted out of there.
Just get outa there. It's retail, it's only gonna get worse. You'll never reason with em, you're talking to the deaf. It's a numbers game, in their minds they've got everybody they hire already replaced soon's they're hired.
Today's retail management approach is about 100% fear and bullying. If you choose to stay don't cave to it, just do your best with what you have. If they try writing you up, sign nothing, arbitrate everything.
Once that part happens you're gonna learn how useless your union really is. You're literally being extorted for protection they don't provide. The UFCW justifies all company mandates under 'needs of the business'. The company is whom your union is supposed to be fighting on your behalf.
I've been employed at my local store for about 2 months now. Our department (deli/bakery) has 8 people on the schedule, but 5 of us are being scheduled for only 2 days a week. One of those 5 WAS working 40 hours/week but her hours got completely shafted. The department lead said she's "lucky to be able to have every shift covered", but it's become apparent that just because you have enough people to cover the shifts, that doesn't mean you have enough people to cover the WORK. Keep in mind that I've barely been trained.
We had a horrible weekend at the beginning of April. I am always scheduled to close for my two shifts, 1pm-9pm. Our department lead left a list for us to complete April 2nd/3rd, because she was going to be off April 3rd and the head manager was coming back from vacation April 4th to do the walkthrough. The basic gist was that we were told if it didn't get done, everyone was getting a write-up.
April 2nd was a sh**-show to begin with, as I was expecting to empty the carts from the cooler to prep for a truck on the 3rd. I did the best I could, but my 10am-6pm kept disappearing from her job and being asked to do things for other departments... (her mom is the front end manager, there's a HUGE nepotism issue there). I was struggling to keep up with GrabNGo and the counter, ontop of carts and my close duties (which take longer than management said I'm "allowed" to take). Carts didn't completely get done and I left a note explaining as much. We're not allowed to stay past our clock out time, so I left at 9.
April 3rd, I go in at 1pm. The pallet from the truck is sat out on the floor, no one's touched it. GrabNGo is almost empty. The department secondary said they'd been absolutely swamped all morning. I start working on the cart, but keep having to go back to the counter. The secondary leaves, my 10-6 has to do an extra round of chicken. By 3:30pm, grabngo is COMPLETELY EMPTY and we haven't had time to try and restock it. She's doing chicken and counter, I'm doing truck and counter. Multiple things on the pallet were broken and leaking everywhere, causing a huge mess I had to clean. I got everything from the truck sorted on to carts and they had to sit there while I handled the rush on the counter.
Needless to say, the carts didn't get finished. I didn't have time to restock grabngo. I also didn't have time to make extra for the next day, and I couldn't do second chance sandwiches. I barely had enough time to finish my cleaning duties. I left another note on the back of my closing instructions, clearly spelling out what got done, what didn't get done, WHY it didn't. And very directly expressing that we needed a third person on the schedule in order to cover everything expected of us. This isn't the first of such notes I've had to leave, though I've been respectful in what I write on them.
Apparently, Management is NOT happy with me about the notes, they don't want to schedule us for more hours because that means paying for overtime. They want the work to be done a specific way but don't want to know what's going on in the department? That sounds like a management issue and not a me issue. I can find no corporate policy indicating that our hours should be limited to 2 days per week. Per the union agreement, anyone averaging under 32 hours/week is considered part time, meaning they could schedule us for a third day and still be compliant with the union agreement. The head manager won't sign off on that. (Multiple departments have major issues with her. She blatantly ignored a mold issue in another department and nothing was done until someone went over her head to District.)
I'm expecting to walk in to a write up on my next shift, but they probably don't expect me to have read the union booklet. Unless they can provide a Union representative, I'm not having any discussions. And no matter what, I'm not signing off on any write up, because I did nothing wrong. I did what I could with the time given. If they won't give us more time (and PAY US for that time), and they expect me to leave at 9, I'm leaving at 9 regardless of what's gotten done.
Honestly who cares see thats the attitude of almost every one especially lazy ass management. So just dont care, go in, do what you can casually dont work like a slave and clock out go home. Youre in the union? Their crooks too but you can actually kill some one and get away with it that is to them. Enjoy and laugh at those empty threats they tell you.
I've been employed at my local store for about 2 months now. Our department (deli/bakery) has 8 people on the schedule, but 5 of us are being scheduled for only 2 days a week. One of those 5 WAS working 40 hours/week but her hours got completely shafted. The department lead said she's "lucky to be able to have every shift covered", but it's become apparent that just because you have enough people to cover the shifts, that doesn't mean you have enough people to cover the WORK. Keep in mind that I've barely been trained.
We had a horrible weekend at the beginning of April. I am always scheduled to close for my two shifts, 1pm-9pm. Our department lead left a list for us to complete April 2nd/3rd, because she was going to be off April 3rd and the head manager was coming back from vacation April 4th to do the walkthrough. The basic gist was that we were told if it didn't get done, everyone was getting a write-up.
April 2nd was a sh**-show to begin with, as I was expecting to empty the carts from the cooler to prep for a truck on the 3rd. I did the best I could, but my 10am-6pm kept disappearing from her job and being asked to do things for other departments... (her mom is the front end manager, there's a HUGE nepotism issue there). I was struggling to keep up with GrabNGo and the counter, ontop of carts and my close duties (which take longer than management said I'm "allowed" to take). Carts didn't completely get done and I left a note explaining as much. We're not allowed to stay past our clock out time, so I left at 9.
April 3rd, I go in at 1pm. The pallet from the truck is sat out on the floor, no one's touched it. GrabNGo is almost empty. The department secondary said they'd been absolutely swamped all morning. I start working on the cart, but keep having to go back to the counter. The secondary leaves, my 10-6 has to do an extra round of chicken. By 3:30pm, grabngo is COMPLETELY EMPTY and we haven't had time to try and restock it. She's doing chicken and counter, I'm doing truck and counter. Multiple things on the pallet were broken and leaking everywhere, causing a huge mess I had to clean. I got everything from the truck sorted on to carts and they had to sit there while I handled the rush on the counter.
Needless to say, the carts didn't get finished. I didn't have time to restock grabngo. I also didn't have time to make extra for the next day, and I couldn't do second chance sandwiches. I barely had enough time to finish my cleaning duties. I left another note on the back of my closing instructions, clearly spelling out what got done, what didn't get done, WHY it didn't. And very directly expressing that we needed a third person on the schedule in order to cover everything expected of us. This isn't the first of such notes I've had to leave, though I've been respectful in what I write on them.
Apparently, Management is NOT happy with me about the notes, they don't want to schedule us for more hours because that means paying for overtime. They want the work to be done a specific way but don't want to know what's going on in the department? That sounds like a management issue and not a me issue. I can find no corporate policy indicating that our hours should be limited to 2 days per week. Per the union agreement, anyone averaging under 32 hours/week is considered part time, meaning they could schedule us for a third day and still be compliant with the union agreement. The head manager won't sign off on that. (Multiple departments have major issues with her. She blatantly ignored a mold issue in another department and nothing was done until someone went over her head to District.)
I'm expecting to walk in to a write up on my next shift, but they probably don't expect me to have read the union booklet. Unless they can provide a Union representative, I'm not having any discussions. And no matter what, I'm not signing off on any write up, because I did nothing wrong. I did what I could with the time given. If they won't give us more time (and PAY US for that time), and they expect me to leave at 9, I'm leaving at 9 regardless of what's gotten done.
This all goes back to the basic problem which is: Kroger CORPORATE is CORRUPT and GREEDY. The managers at your local store (even IF they would like to give your dept more hours) may not be willing to do so because of being harassed (or penalized in some way) by the district coordinators / management above them. And the people on here who say that ALL retail is like that.........that is almost true, but not quite. Another chain that is just as bad is Dollar General. Walmart is just a little easier (not a lot, just a little).
I would STRONGLY urge you to start looking for a better job. Almost any job in most areas of the country pay better than Kroger deli. Get out of retail if at all possible. GOOD LUCK!!!!
I have an update. My next scheduled shift after this whole fiasco was today, 4/9.
I was expecting a write up when I came in. No write up was given to me. The department lead said nothing. And on the freshly posted schedule, ALL of the part time workers are scheduled for at least 3 shifts (20-25hrs) I have 2 shifts next week and then I get 3 the week after. Not sure how long it'll last, because the 3 full time workers got cut from 40 to 36 hours. But they keep their seniority and they get scheduled first, so whatever.
Someone listened. That's what matters. It may only bea few extra hours, but we have more overlap in shifts and the stores pay is already above minimum wage. Those few hours add up fast.
In reality do the best you can do, and move on. I have always thought its funny how most retail jobs wants employees to be ' invested', but yet don't actually allow the associate to me. In reality, let them write you up, the file a grievance on it. In reality, unless they have proof you waited time, etc....its a mute point.
Most departments are scheduled like that. A lot of work but never enough time to do everything well. Standard operating procedure. The retail way anywhere you go. Not just Kroger.
Each department is allowed to schedule so many hours each week per ELMS hours allowed. ELMS is a tool that calculates hours based on several criteria. The department manager is writing the schedule per what ELMS says it takes to get the job done each week.
That is why everyone is getting scheduled 2 days a week. My contract says they have to schedule part timers at least 12 hours a week. I have seen cashiers have 0 hours one week and 12 hours the next a long time ago. This way they can not sign up for unemployment.
If you are trying your best to juggle the work and improving as much as possible, then you are probably not the issue.
You have put thought into this in an intelligible way. You have confidence in yourself. Don't let this job take that away from you. Don't get stressed out over this job.
I wish you the best in your future endeavors.
Not all retail stores. HEB is going to tear into Kroger soon in the Dallas Division. They're already beating them pretty bad in Houston. They believe in hiring and they believe in alot of hours.
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My Views and Opinions do not reflect that of the Kroger company. I'm an indivdual expressing my 1st amendment right.
