Key Retailing appears to be a plan to run a grocery store based on the assumption that every store is exactly the same for the ultimate purpose of manning the store with as few employees as possible at a time.
Exactly. That last post segues nicely into what I've been wanting say. As best I understand it, Key Retailing is actually a wonderful tool------for elliminating employees, union or not. After all, the company could just claim they were excercising business needs (regardless of how ridiculously un realistic they were) and that, the employees who fell short of them, were simply in dereliction of their duties. Hell, they could (and most likely will fervently try) even work it out where the terminations rob you of your rightful unemployment insurance.........Which is what really pisses me off. We PAY for that. We don't even have a choice, it's federal and all part of the W4s we sign upon employment.
I say: FIGHT any and all attempts by management when/if you fall short of these absurdly high expectations. Sign NOTHING. They're gonna keep cutting hours and expecting more work with less staff? Do the best you can with what you have. Keep your dignity and peace of mind.........And again, let them know you'll fight them as much or more than they try to screw you.
I have yet to have signed anything including the Kroger Handbook agreement! In fact, they've lost my file. I have a clean slate. Its not like I have signed anything anyhow. I've always refused.
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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.
Key Retailing is nothing but a big joke. Just another bad program designed to squese as much work out of you as possible. I would like to see these fat, lazy, overpaid zone managers and higher ups work under those conditions. Make them earn their overpaid salarys. ELMS is another big joke. Just another tool to work people to death and make them as miserable as possible. How the hell am I to meet their bull**** key retailing team stocking guide when I loose a 40 hour a week person and I am then expected to work these damn everyday trucks myself. Now they are on this kick about hole scans. If your dept has too many holes you will be punished for it. What the hell! I thought the product was there to sell. Is it my fault if someone comes in and decides that they need to purchase 25 or 30 of something. Is it my fault that some dumb ass at the warehouse decides to punch in the wrong numbers and screws up the counts? All this key retailing **** rolls down hill and the workers are at the bottom. There are nights that I come home and wonder if it would just be better to go ahead and kill myself and be done with it. Stress and Depression caused by Kroger greed. Some days I just feel like telling them all to go to hell and kiss my ass!!!
Don't kill yourself...but realize that we're all in the same boat with this...How is it that the employees can see key retailing for WHAT IT REALLY IS, but everyone else seems to have their head in the sand??? I've always said that EACH STORE IS DIFFERENT!!! NOT ONE KROGER IS THE SAME!!! Not all Krogers are built the same...Not all departments are the same size...The same departments in different stores are NOT the same size...Workers come in all shapes and sizes...Customers all want different things...Some departments have more help...Some have less help...Departments are all run by different people...Stores are managed by different people...What works for one, doesn't necessarily work for the store down the street...or a few miles away...There are small stores with heavy sales traffic, and larger stores that are virtually as dead as a doornail...There's too much randomness and confusion...and not enough realistic thinking and continuity...I can't for the life of me (and I've been around enough to know) figure out how a "one size fits all" strategy like key retailing can work THE SAME WAY at each store, since no two stores are alike!!! And the more I think about it, the more I scratch my head, since no one else seems to see it or want to see it (with any common sense) for what it is...
