I like to use this place to vent, and of course keep a record seperate of my own on how this lady behaves.
We had our memorial day picnic today for associates. (Cultural council sponsored) I asked the cake lady last week for either 2 24ct cupcakes or a sheet cake for the picnic. We had hotdogs, hamburgers, slaw, beans, watermelon, chips, cookies.. etc
I came in today to start the picnic, she said I never told her about the cupcakes. I already bought them the day before *using a tag, not the actual item* So I asked her if she could make them. She said she had to do 48 cakes because she was going on vacation next week and no one can keep up with her. (other lady does fine doing cakes) So she's not sure.
Long story already, to cut to the chase, myself and a lady from the meat dept were buying the last minute items we couldnt' get beforehand. The meats, the slaw, tater salad etc. Two of the ladies up front said, what are you doing for desert? We told them cupcakes, they were like, ehh. So I said what would you like instead? This is your picnic after all. They wanted the strawberry crunch cakes. We went over to get 1 to scan, and another for the afternoon shifts. We already had pies etc. Just wanted 2 of the strawberry cakes.
Crazy Deli Lady aka CDL from now on to shorten my already epic posts, started screaming at the meat lady "oh no no no your not taking that cake, I just filled the shelf, you have to give me 24 hours notice before you come over here and wipe out my case" We both look at each other like. Here we go again. Meat lady said, we need one for now and one for later, we aren't taking all of them. CDL starts in on how we just make extra work for her, no one does anything around here to help her. She is flooded with work. We will not touch her cakes, her case is full. The customer beside us asked me if that meant she couldn't buy a cake either. I laughed, told her no, she can buy a cake.
Meat lady and I left. Got reimbursed for the cupcakes, and the other cakes we bought from deli (68 dollars) and bought marie callender pies and cakes instead. Slightly evil, but if she doesn' want our business, we'll buy and give the money to frozen's daily sales.
2 hours later, CDL comes back to the break room where we are having our picnic, pages me to the break room to make sure we are all there to clear the air. She then starts to fight again saying she was more than willing to help, but we were whining and trying to make work for her by buying her cakes. Meat lady isn't used to this harrassement like I am, so she starts crying, CDL then has her perfect storm. She creates the drama, follows meat lady out, starts talking about how things are out of control and it's not meat ladies fault. So now CDL is the one offering sympathy for drama she started? That's her MO being union steward and all around busy body. She starts drama then plays innocent and "solves" the drama.
THEN an hour an a half later, I was talking to Evette and Pam. I mentioned our manager was out for "physical and mental exhaustion" which is how it was put to me. CDL comes over screaming.. OH No No he's not out for that. He's not crazy. He sent me 5 texts this morning explaining what is wrong. Do you want to read them? I can read them to you, he texts me every day. I told her No, honestly I don't want to read anything sent to you, you send, or anything about you to be honest.
But it will get better sunday, her best friend the co manager is back from a 3 month hiatus. So I'm sure we will all be in for more tantrums, harrassment and horror.
Soon as I get some time and energy, even though it won't work, I am going to call that kroger number. Like I said my last time calling the union and talking to management turned out to make me look like a liar, since no one would back me up. It was a he said she said thing. But maybe if someone higher comes in and asks what is going on someone will speak up. Or I'll get fired.. either way, win win.
Is this crazy deli lady the department head or just a cake decorator? If she's just a decorator then it's none of her business what you take. Personally though, I would have taken a couple of the pudding cakes and some cookies. Those strawberry creme cakes are too messy for that type of situation and to be honest they do take time to make.
If this situation you describe is that catastrophic then it may be worth a gamble to get human resources involved.They should come there and take statements from everyone.The union really has no opinion on those kinds of matters but is'nt it strange how the biggest busybody in every store gets to be Steward.
All I can say (with the most sarcastic of intentions, of course...) is AIN'T LIFE GRAND???
Wow, you've really got a situation there...And the whole thing about stewards being busybodies...you just might be onto something.
When I read these posts, just once I'd like to be proven wrong, but more often than not, some of the things I hear just confirm suspicions I've had anyway...
Never be surprised, people, and you'll never be disappointed!
We had our memorial day picnic today for associates. (Cultural council sponsored) I asked the cake lady last week for either 2 24ct cupcakes or a sheet cake for the picnic. We had hotdogs, hamburgers, slaw, beans, watermelon, chips, cookies.. etc
Why are you having the Memorial Day Associate Picnic on May 19th when Memorial Day is on May 30th?
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I am no longer part of the oppressed, evil workforce of Kroger! Can you say "Hallelujah"
We had our memorial day picnic today for associates. (Cultural council sponsored) I asked the cake lady last week for either 2 24ct cupcakes or a sheet cake for the picnic. We had hotdogs, hamburgers, slaw, beans, watermelon, chips, cookies.. etc
Why are you having the Memorial Day Associate Picnic on May 19th when Memorial Day is on May 30th?
Because he can't get the time off obviously! xD
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
We wanted to have it on a day that people will actually be able to take a minute to sit down, holiday weeks aren't always the best time to do parties/lunches.
Yeah they do take time to make, however, you make them to sell them, no? Why take the time to make something and mark it down like we do most of her cakes? ehh
Yeah they do take time to make, however, you make them to sell them, no? Why take the time to make something and mark it down like we do most of her cakes? ehh
You do the markdowns? Where I work the bakery does their own markdowns. If most of her cakes are being marked down then she's either producing too many or they don't look very good and people don't want to pay full price for them. One problem is Kroger wants to make sure that the shelves and cases are filled to capacity at all times. That simply can't be done, nor is it feasible. You can't have someone go around replacing an item every time a customer comes along and puts it in their bascart.
Also, if your bakery department is anything like mine then it probably has a very small staff to do all that stuff. Until recently we've had only one baker and two decorators plus a floater to do things like put out premade items or bag bread. So if I had been the deli manager and there were only a few strawberry creme cakes in the case I probably would have asked you to get something else that could be replaced more easily. Yes, the cakes are there to sell but it's better to make sure they're there for the general public to buy than to use them for an employee picnic.
Still, it wasn't up to the decorator to say whether you could take them or not. I would have either gotten permission from store management or the deli manager. Then the deli manager could have decided whether or not they needed to put someone on the job of making more cakes or doing something else. Besides, I can't believe people actually like those cakes. I think they're nasty. The glaze tastes like cough syrup and I don't like the taste of Kroger cakes. I know most people rave about them but I think they have a chemical aftertaste to them. I know of a few other people who have said the same thing. The pudding cakes, however, are very good.
Not even the CEO of Kroger, himself, should stop you from buying something you want to buy. When you put up good money, whether you're an employee or not, you're still a customer when money is placed on the table.
Her "time" in putting that cake together is reflected in the price that is placed on it. If she doesn't want people to buy it then she obviously doesn't think her time has value.
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
We have to do her markdowns. (the deli) she and one other lady does the cakes. She's been catered to and pampered for 7 years. We had a visiting manager for that day, one of ours is on disability for her knee, the other is on medical leave for "exhaustion", the visiting manager said to her, if they wanted to buy every cake on your shelf it's made to buy. Her response was "they buy the cakes, I refuse to make anymore"
And someone else cuts up her strawberries and puts them in the glaze daily. So for her to make those cakes would have been spread icing, dump on glaze mix, do border, glaze crappy strawberry stuff.
It might seem trivial to others, but this is just another example of her refusal to treat anyone with any respect and management bowing down to someone saying I"m not going to do that.
To repeat her last comment to me. "you either fall in line or I can't be held responsible for what happens to you. just remember you brought this on yourself"
what line is she refering to? what the hell does that mean? do you not come in as the schedule says and do the job that kroger expects? explain to me (and to this board) what this line is she is refering to so when i get really pissed off and call up all these bozos at your store -- i got my facts straight
-- Edited by thedude on Saturday 21st of May 2011 06:45:36 PM
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I am no longer part of the oppressed, evil workforce of Kroger! Can you say "Hallelujah"
It might seem trivial to others, but this is just another example of her refusal to treat anyone with any respect and management bowing down to someone saying I"m not going to do that.
To repeat her last comment to me. "you either fall in line or I can't be held responsible for what happens to you. just remember you brought this on yourself"
She wouldn't get away with that if she worked at more store. I've seen people with 15 or more years experience get fired for insubordination. The deli manager isn't doing his/her job and neither is the store manager. If it happens again she needs to be written up and if it happens again after that she needs to be suspended. For someone with only 7 years experience she's got a lot of nerve.
You really should get human resources involved in this A union steward that is supposed to be on your side and concerned that you are being treated right is now directly threatening your job.This will create additional drama but will probably put her in an embarrasing position and in her place.
