Hi all, first off let me explain that Kroger (or i should say Dillons) was the only ones hiring out of the 150+ job applications i filled out shortly after coming back from deployment in Iraq so i took the job as a night stocker. I have been working this position for the last 6 months.
Ok, now my Kroger war story:
My job has been absolutely fantastic since i have started untill today. We had a full group Key retailing visit yesterday and our department scored a flawless 100% and all of us working that night recieved gift cards and hand written certificates along with hand shakes from the folks with KEY. Now, the bad.
Last night we had a 1700 piece truck with only 3 people to throw it (one was unloading the trucks so really just 2 people) and really needed help badly but to get it we have to phone our department head or a store manager out of bed to give us the go ahead. Not only were we told no we were basically told hell no! So we figure alright we'll just get'er done the best we can and play it by ear. Fast-forward to 6am and we are not even close to being done but low and behold both the store manager and our department head walk in at the same damn time and start just laying into us with no mercy about **** not being done yet and yadda yadda but to make a long story short our night lead quit, our truck unloader quit, our FASTEST stocker quit leaving just me and 3 other people with one guy thats just as fast as our fastest guy (was) but doesnt put up with managerial badgering and has told them to do their jobs like they are supposed too and let him do his-they had a habit a while back of pestering him over trivial stuff, like the department head would come scan in the morning and find maybe 3-4 holes that werent conditioned that could easily be fixed by him but instead of fixing it he would make the guy drop whatever it was he was doing and start laying into him for a thorough 15 minute bark session and the guy got tired of it and told the department head if its that big of a damn deal just fix it, it takes like 2 seconds leave me alone i got a 200 piece pallet over here with 3 more to go and its already 4am!-they only have him scheduled for 12 hours the entire next week and refuse to bring him on to help us due to management making everybody quit!
I am a Marine. It is my job to get into the trenches, do the hard work and NEVER complain but THIS, THIS is SLAVERY! I did NOT take 3 tours in Iraq just to come back and see giant corporate entities treating people in this manner for 7.75/hour! I am working on a deal right now that could hire allot of people. Once it is open, im hiring all of my night crew buddies as well as anyone left over in the Grocery department. They will all walk at the same time and announce the same reason "we are tired of the slave wages and conditions, good luck on your recover!". hehe
one was unloading the trucks? do the drivers leave the trailers at the dock? we have drivers unload it, and its waiting for us in the backroom. anywho we are in the same situation. not enough hours, yet they say the 4 guys we have with unfinished loads at the end of the day dont add up. If they go over hours its off their bonus. So if they dont bother hiring people or cutting hours at other depts who dont need it, then leave it to them to finish. They just want you guys to bust your asses for all that you got.
"I am a Marine. It is my job to get into the trenches, do the hard work and NEVER complain but THIS, THIS is SLAVERY! I did NOT take 3 tours in Iraq just to come back and see giant corporate entities treating people in this manner for 7.75/hour"
I won't disagree that you got a crappy deal but as someone who was honorably discharged from the US Army after 20 years of service, this type of attitude shows a level of conceit, superiority, and entitlement beyond belief. Don't be the guy who spits in the face of all of those who have sacrificed so much by playing the military card to garner sympathy in the most frivolous of situations. While you're standing around griping about having to do your job and dealing with less than ideal leadership, which is something everybody has to deal with at some point in time, there are people out there who are far more qualified for the job than you are and who are willing to do it without complaining to boot.
The armed forces isn't the only honorable profession out there and being a part of it doesn't automatically qualify you for special status. Let's not forget about the people who worked by the sweat of their brow to supply you with food, uniforms, and equipment. In my day, BDUs were still being manufactured in China by souls subjected to God knows what kind of torment. I think that has changed some today, but the point of my rant remains: Get over yourself.
I have worked night stock for over 5 years and that is how it goes. I like working for Kroger on night crew. I am thankful to be employed.
You need to learn what DDp is and how many hours you are allowed to run the stock in. We count cases, not pieces. 3 of us ran a 680 case truck tonight and got everything done. Ok, 168 of it was 24 packs of water. Could easily be 1500 pieces. I will have to check the numbers in ddp to see how many pieces it was tho.
Generally, your time is spent like this:
x hours to face.
x hours to recieve, backstock review, order review, fill water, clean backroom, change bale, misc.
then, ddp expects you to run 60 +/- cases an hour.
3 guys make so many hours. 8 hour shifts would be 22 1/2 manhours.
add the first three labors together and you can get an idea of if you are allowed enough time to get the job done.
Your store suffers from poor management if you are not allowed enough time to get the work done well. Wait it out to see if the managers get transferred.
ok, here's what you do. first off remember that this is a ****in grocery store and not a combat zone. people's lives aren't on the line if a truck doesn't go up. life will go on.
show up on time, work your full shift, clock out, and go home. work overtime if you want, don't work past your shift end time if you don't want to.
what's your worst case scenario? a write up i guess. there are only a few ways to get "on the spot" fired at kroger - stealing, violence/harassment, no show to work.
don't stress too much, if a manager is bitching about whatever, just "uh huh yes sir" along with them until they're done. and come back the next day. kroger is having a hard time all across the board finding qualified and hardworking people to come in for the crap wages they pay, so relax - as long as you're showing up and giving them an honest day of work, there's really not a whole lot they are gonna do to you. at the end of the day, the threats and bitching from management is nothing but a bunch of meaningless words
