Utility Clerk

Date: Aug 6, 2013

Utility Clerk

Rich · Veteran Member

Every time I ask for the contract they hand a piece of paper that shows the raises and bonus checks. That was given to us a day before voting started. I've never seen a bid for a utility clerk either so I also have no idea what they are required to do.

FU11307 · Guru

What's up with all the questions here recently with 876? I don't get why everyone has just started to ask questions now. I've been asking questions from the get-go.

Anyhow, I was told the job description word for word. That position and the other new position, lead nutrition clerk.

Utility basically does everything except stocking. You can take items off the shelf then restock them, but you can't do normal stocking. This probably won't stop people from asking you to stock though. In which case, utility clerks can be very similar to grocery clerks at times but have no benefits and lower pay scale.

This makes me wonder why anyone would want to be a utility clerk. It's all win-win for the company, but I don't see much in it for the employees. The position "Utility clerk" was made as a promotion for "courtesy clerks." However, if you're a bagger and want to get promoted, you'll either want to be a cashier or part of a separate department. This way you'll have a higher pay scale and befits (healthcare, personal days, holidays, etc). To add insult to injury though, many stores expect utility clerks to have very open schedules.

If you have any specific questions, shoot. There is indeed a paper you can ask the union for which lists the description and duties.

Date: Aug 7, 2013

FU11307 wrote:
What's up with all the questions here recently with 876? I don't get why everyone has just started to ask questions now. I've been asking questions from the get-go.
you can ask the union for which lists the description and duties.

Thanks for reply.

I am not a utility clerk. If you have time, what is the job description for Lead nutrition? Wondering if I should start signing those bids. I am not too concerned about the invisible contract. I will go with the flow and make the best of it. I have a copy of what you scanned in the link below but can't find it at the moment.

http://krogerforum.activeboard.com/t54546485/pay-rates/

Ours has been stocking which is helpful to the store and it is a nice change of scenery for them. They are not looking for pay or benefits. Just wants to accomplish something when at work. They have been scheduled for a variety of tasks on the schedule:utility clerk, groc, prod, scan (something), file maintenance, dg gm. Today, thet were told no stocking, period. The person enjoys learning and floating to the different jobs. Even the utility position.

Are they not allowed to stock just in the grocery department or are all departments off limits?

Are they permitted to stock if a necessity of the store? People on vacation, call ins, short handed due to people quiting?

Does each store have a certain number of spots for each position throughout the store? Example: cashiers, courtesy clerk, stock clerk, gm clerk, nutrition clerk? I am wondering how or why this person was put in the utility clerk position and the other baggers were sent to be grocery clerks. All are 18. All were baggers. The utility clerk appears to have less senority.

FU11307 · Guru

Courtesy clerks and utility clerks get no seniority (except among those of their own classification). Utility clerks cannot stock period ("restocking" for cleaning purposes is the one exception, cuz it's not really stocking).When they work in a department, it simply means which department they're suppose to be in to clean. Utility clerks get hours from the departments that they clean (sort of). Some stores can take the hours straight out of just the front end. Depends on the store and hour limitations I guess.

There is one strong pro to becoming a utility clerk over a grocery clerk: starting pay. Utility clerk=$7.60 Clerk=$7.40. HOWEVER, some stores give raises to those employees that are promoted. In our contract, changing to any position from courtesy clerk is considered a promotion. Some stores thus "start" regular clerks promoted from baggers at $8.00 to make it a "true" promotion. If they do that in your store, you basically get screwed by becoming a utility clerk; you get "promoted" to a position with less pay and no benefits.

I don't believe there's definite limits on the number of part-time jobs available for departments (anyone can feel free to correct me), but, just remember, no one below you in seniority can have more hours than you. Utility clerk seems to be an exception (up to 5 per store).

As for the nutrition lead, it's not something I really paid attention to to be honest. My store is pretty bare bones and we hardly have some of the same positions every other Kroger has.

Date: Aug 7, 2013

Thanks

Date: Aug 26, 2013

Most of what was said here is correct. Utility clerks may not run register either.

The advantage is that utility clerks get paid more and have more responsibilities. They're also supposed to be first in line when there are other openings in the store.