DO NOT POST ANYTHING ANYWHERE IN YOUR STORE. IT IS GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL.
So many people in my store were upset after the vote for this last contract that almost everyone said that they wanted out of the Union. At least one has been wanting to get out for over a year but everything anyone told her to do did not work.
Somewhere on this board I found out what to do and printed it out. I made lots of copies. I approached one of our store's union stewards thinking she might want to have a few for other disgruntled union members. She told me to post it by the time clock in the break room. So I did and didn't think anything more about it. Nowhere on that sheet did I mention either Kroger or the name of our Union.
Yesterday before I left work I was called up to the manager's office and "read the riot act." This is now on my file. If I do anything at all worthy of being written up I could be suspended pending.
Friends outside of work have advised me to lay low for a while and not get out of the union until things cool off. Just be a good little minion and start looking for a new job just in case. But I am in my fifties. I have already been here over thirty years. Where could I go and make even the pittance I make here starting new somewhere else? We are just barely making ends meet as it is. If I made less the ends would not even be able to see one another much less meet.
Another question. If I get fired, do I lose my retirement? I know it won't be much but if I live long enough I am sure to need it.
Another reason why many people are now starting to believe that the union is no longer worth it at its current state.
Riot act? Never heard of it. I'll try looking through the ****-ton of stuff that I signed at the beginning, but most definitely never heard of it.
I never post anything around the store, but since I'm in a Right to Work state, I often tell newcomers that they don't have to join the union. I haven't been bothered about it so far.
Riot Act (noun) 1. an English statute of 1715 providing that if 12 or more persons assemble unlawfully and riotously, to the disturbance of the public peace, and refuse to disperse upon proclamation they shall be considered guilty of felony. Idioms 2. read someone the riot act, a. to reprimand; censure: The principal read them the riot act for their behavior at the assembly. b. to give (someone) a sharp warning.
Riot Act (noun) 1. an English statute of 1715 providing that if 12 or more persons assemble unlawfully and riotously, to the disturbance of the public peace, and refuse to disperse upon proclamation they shall be considered guilty of felony. Idioms 2. read someone the riot act, a. to reprimand; censure: The principal read them the riot act for their behavior at the assembly. b. to give (someone) a sharp warning.
I think the issue was because it could be argued the store, management or company was trying to talk people into leaving the union. It's an area they will not touch, they will not discuss. That kind of thing is federal law NLRB radioactive.
If you're fired for cause. Just lay low, stay in the union. Play the game. I know of a long time employee who was fired, then thrown under the bus by the union rep & lost everything.
I'm only in the union because it's a protection racket. I don't do anyhing crazy, I only go to work to work and work hard so I should never need the union but you never know when someone is going to do something. Even though they're supposed to fight equally for members and non-members it goes unsaid that it's BS.
My advice: be on good terms with all the managers. Most of the time they are good people and they can (and will) do a hell of a lot more for you than the union.
That is my plan. I will stay in the union for now. Maybe in a year or so I will send them a letter to get out. I'm also thinking of sending them $3 worth of dimes --- thirty pieces of silver.
I'm also going to do everything I can to stay in good with the managers. I think a lot of the ass chewing I got was for the union rep's benefit, who was standing just outside the door. After all the note that I posted threatened his livelihood. Though I think the way the union has been throwing us under the bus is more of a threat than I can ever be.
