So my husband works for kroger. He and his African American friend were joking around one day. These guys are close and have been using racial slurs and jokes with one another for years. Well someone over heard my husband sing this racial song to which it was with his friend and at the end said "nigga" which his friend died laughing over the song. Well another employee who has never liked my husband and has been trying to get him fired since she started. my husband has been working for the company for 14 years. His manger asks to see him up stairs. He told him that there wasn't going to be an disiplanry action that was going to take place, he just wanted to have a conversation. He also asked a non Union associate from the floral department to be there as a witness. He asked him about the song and when my husband was done explaining it. The manger immediately told him he was being suspended pending. he had his friend come up who happens to be a Union rep but told my husband he couldn't be his representive because it was a conflict of interest. He told the manger he wasn't offended and that it was funny too. The manger said he was disappointed in my husbands frienda character. He proceeded to write him up and now is possibly losing his job. Is there any hope, his job can be saved since he did not have proper Union representation? He has been written up for being late but nothing ever like this. He has been a good employee for 14 years. I just hope maybe we can save his job being his first offense.
The manager lied to him at the beginning, by saying there would be no disciplinary action taking place... just a conversation. Maybe the floral "witness" heard that as well and the disciplinary action could be considered "null and void", since the manager said that it wasn't going to be taken in the first place.
Definitely get the union involved. By telling him he just wanted to have a conversation and there was no disciplinary action on the table, he tricked your husband into giving up his Weingarten rights. This was underlined by having a non-union employee play witness.
Speaking generally, not to the situation, I happen to be white and work in the ATL division. When a new dept head came in that was white, I had to listen to all kinds of openly racist nonsense from other employees. Management only did it because they "didn't want any more of their kind (blacks)," the manager wanted a white person like themselves, etc. I won't repeat things spread about gays or lesbians in my store. Those things are harassment. Women were even talking about oral sex, complete with gestures, in the office area when I was doing my new hire paperwork years ago.
None of this really belongs at work. It most certainly doesn't belong on the sales floor. And I'll include any song inappropriate enough that wouldn't be broadcast over in store radio.
Definitely get the union involved. By telling him he just wanted to have a conversation and there was no disciplinary action on the table, he tricked your husband into giving up his Weingarten rights. This was underlined by having a non-union employee play witness.
Okay I completely agree with the fact he acted very unprofessional. And you would be correct this doesnt belong on the sales floor. I'm just wondering if he has a case? From what I understand through a number of text. More than 6 people are threatening to quit due to what they believe is wrong. This includes some African American co workers. Management had a young lady upstairs today and defended my husband and said she was not saying another word about it. These people love him, his best friend is African American. He never meant it as a malicious term. His Union rep already has people calling him asking to write statements on his behave saying they did not find this offensive. But as we all know it onky takes one person. I wondering since he was tricked into giving up his rights, not having Union represenation and oh here's a kicker my husband asked for a Union rep after seeing it was going to end up this way, pulled out the card his Union rep gave him the manger laughed and said he's seen the card before and ignored his request for Union represenatation. So do we have a leg to stand on?
Definitely get the union involved. By telling him he just wanted to have a conversation and there was no disciplinary action on the table, he tricked your husband into giving up his Weingarten rights. This was underlined by having a non-union employee play witness.
Okay I completely agree with the fact he acted very unprofessional. And you would be correct this doesnt belong on the sales floor. I'm just wondering if he has a case? From what I understand through a number of text. More than 6 people are threatening to quit due to what they believe is wrong. This includes some African American co workers. Management had a young lady upstairs today and defended my husband and said she was not saying another word about it. These people love him, his best friend is African American. He never meant it as a malicious term. His Union rep already has people calling him asking to write statements on his behave saying they did not find this offensive. But as we all know it onky takes one person. I wondering since he was tricked into giving up his rights, not having Union represenation and oh here's a kicker my husband asked for a Union rep after seeing it was going to end up this way, pulled out the card his Union rep gave him the manger laughed and said he's seen the card before and ignored his request for Union represenatation. So do we have a leg to stand on?
You most certainly do. That manager is in direct violation of the contract. He could be the one to lose his job. The contract works both ways.
Now that it has be brought to the attention of management, they are liable if they dont fire him. Text book case of kroger creating a hostile work enviroment.Sucks ass i know.
Now that it has be brought to the attention of management, they are liable if they dont fire him. Text book case of kroger creating a hostile work enviroment.Sucks ass i know.
That's not necessarily true. The woman who threatened to beat me up had 6 complaints in a 2 week period from 3 different employees and she is still working for Kroger. So would Kroger be liable if she hit me or another employee? You betcha. But she still works there.
She shouldn't threaten to hit employees. One day an employee is gonna take up her challenge and knock her on her ass. But I bet they'd be fired for doing that EVEN if she threw the first punch.
He will be fighting it. He's filing a grievence, his union worker says its a 50/50 chance depending on what kroger wants to go about it. He also said his manger violates his contract rights and he maybe able to win his case because of what the manger did. It maybe the only thing that saves his job. I totally agree it was very unprofessional and even though him and his friend are okay with it doesnt mean someone else is okay with it. I'm very surprised with the support he's being shown. He has co workers in several departments therateNing to quit. Several of them are looking into other jobs, and some that have been defending him when they are taken up to the managements office. A lot of them are actually not saying anything. So I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not. But we shall see
It's going to be very interesting to see how this goes.
With the overall political climate of this country, the increasing racial tensions and escalating sphincter-tightening of management/work place intolerance, I don't see this going well for your husband. But I do wish you both the best.
He will be fighting it. He's filing a grievence, his union worker says its a 50/50 chance depending on what kroger wants to go about it. He also said his manger violates his contract rights and he maybe able to win his case because of what the manger did. It maybe the only thing that saves his job. I totally agree it was very unprofessional and even though him and his friend are okay with it doesnt mean someone else is okay with it. I'm very surprised with the support he's being shown. He has co workers in several departments therateNing to quit. Several of them are looking into other jobs, and some that have been defending him when they are taken up to the managements office. A lot of them are actually not saying anything. So I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not. But we shall see
What ended up happening? Did they try to fire him or did it end with the suspension? If they just suspended him he should lick his wounds and drop this? Did be or did he not drop a racial slur around at least one other employee? We all know the answer is he did, game over he loses.
As as far this meeting where the store manager conveniently said 'there wasn't going to be any disciplinary action," I have a hard time believing a store manager would make such a big mistake in such an open and shut case where your husband has no other action. Does your husband have proof this is what the manager said? Watch how fast the managers story becomes that you declined representation because downplayed the seriousness of his words at the incident, the meeting, and you down okay it now. Its ok for him to drop the n bomb in front of his black friend and whoever else is in the room. Maybe if his friend is cool with it he still shouldn't be dropping offensive words at work in front of other co-workers. Actions have consequences!
my suggestion is instead of playing it off and starting this huge thing take the high road, everyone knows whet he did was against the rules. Fess up, tell the manager you had a lapse in judgment and ask for mercy!
He will be fighting it. He's filing a grievence, his union worker says its a 50/50 chance depending on what kroger wants to go about it. He also said his manger violates his contract rights and he maybe able to win his case because of what the manger did. It maybe the only thing that saves his job. I totally agree it was very unprofessional and even though him and his friend are okay with it doesnt mean someone else is okay with it. I'm very surprised with the support he's being shown. He has co workers in several departments therateNing to quit. Several of them are looking into other jobs, and some that have been defending him when they are taken up to the managements office. A lot of them are actually not saying anything. So I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not. But we shall see
What ended up happening? Did they try to fire him or did it end with the suspension? If they just suspended him he should lick his wounds and drop this? Did be or did he not drop a racial slur around at least one other employee? We all know the answer is he did, game over he loses.
As as far this meeting where the store manager conveniently said 'there wasn't going to be any disciplinary action," I have a hard time believing a store manager would make such a big mistake in such an open and shut case where your husband has no other action. Does your husband have proof this is what the manager said? Watch how fast the managers story becomes that you declined representation because downplayed the seriousness of his words at the incident, the meeting, and you down okay it now. Its ok for him to drop the n bomb in front of his black friend and whoever else is in the room. Maybe if his friend is cool with it he still shouldn't be dropping offensive words at work in front of other co-workers. Actions have consequences!
my suggestion is instead of playing it off and starting this huge thing take the high road, everyone knows whet he did was against the rules. Fess up, tell the manager you had a lapse in judgment and ask for mercy!
H e l l No, I wouldn't do that. You'd be fired for sure.
Well, since we're chit chattin' about this any way, I also find it interesting as to what I know would happen if positions were revered. As in, if, say, the words 'honky' or 'whitey' or 'cracker' were used........Not a damned thing would happen. Not a damned thing.
Same as Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition seems to protect only ONE color. And until we have equality on all racial slurs, hate crimes, etc., we really won't have equality at all.
Yes he knows he made a mistake. And yes I agree it's a word that shouldn't come out of his mouth or anyone's for that matter. But as I said the manger did violate his rights as well. This manger has been known to drag up employees without union representation. He has done this on several occssiona inculding my husband as a witness to someone else getting fired. My husband isn't a union rep at all. hes been in trouble for ignoring the contract rules of the Union on workers rights before. My husband doesn't lie and he never has. Plus on the copy of the report my husband received it says that there was not going to be any disciplinary action at the time. So yeah it's in black and white and this manger did make a HUGE mistake. I'm not arguing that he was wrong, I believe whole heartily that was unprofessional. hes currently suspended pending, so we are in limbo. I'm hoping he returns to work and learns his lesson. That this stuff isn't professional and isnt something he should be doing. But the other poster is right just because my husband did wrong doesn't mean he doesn't have rights. And yes the contract works both ways.
