So in a previous post I stated that this week I was only scheduled 14 front end hours. Today when I went into work the FEM was gloating that 'I hear you don't like your schedule' as he was smirking at me. He then proceeded to tell me that because I have my 'availability' from 8 am to 5 pm everyday, that he's not obligated to give me even the minimum of 15 hours, much less recognize my seniority. I have read the contract several times now and it doesn't state that anywhere that I can find....is this true?
Also the contract clearly states that the schedule has to be out by noon on Friday, it never is, it's always out mid day Saturday, sometimes late afternoon.
How can they pick and choose what they want to follow on a 'contract' ?
I'm asking our steward to verify this 'wrinkle' for me, but she's not very quick with answers or knowledge so I thought I'd try my luck here. I've never heard that your availability times would affect how little hours they could dole out to you. I ride a bicycle and sometimes the bus so I can't work past 5 pm. This has never been a problem in the seven years I've worked there. I've never called in sick, or even been late once, even in rough weather (snowed in).
My bills are very small and I can actually get by on 15 hours (not comfortably), but I just can't understand where all this new hostility is coming from. Our management changes out so often, I'm pretty sure if I can just wait it out they'll all be different people in a couple of months.
I guess this means that I'm going to be losing my insurance, but that was probably going to happen anyways in June when the new contract comes out.....
So I did a search on this forum and the consensus seems to be that because I have 'restrictions' on my available hours, baggers with less seniority can (and do) have more hours than me.
I'm okay with that, but doesn't the FEM still have to give me the contractual minimum hours of 15 per week?
Also, is there another 'rule' book other than the published contract ? Maybe a secret set of rules that you don't know about until you're knocked in the keester ??
1. There are multiple contracts in Krogrrland--details will differ--therefore, consensus beyond your bargaining unit may be moot.
2. The company has its books, none of which should/should be allowed to contradict your governing contract. It is up to the members to enforce the contract. Present grievances on untimely schedule posting and, if applicable, minimum hours not met.
3. It saddens me if you've spent seven years in the Krogrr Penitentiary stuck at the lowest/dead-end, courtesy-clerk wage (if your contract mirrors Local 1000's in that way. You could've been at top-scale a year or more ago.) If you can stand dairy, produce, or drug-gm, get on the clerk scale; working days, you'll still be fetching carts and bagging groceries, anyhow, since Krogrr is greedy and stupid and won't book adequate front-end help.
-- Edited by kroagrr on Tuesday 3rd of May 2016 12:04:49 PM
I only have a few years yet until I can collect SS, so I'm happy with bagger. I've already had a career that I chose to leave because of too much stress. I'm just looking for a fair deal with Kroger, and each year gets a little tighter. It's not just front end, seems like everyone is being pushed to their limits. One good thing about my job is that I don't have a set number of pallets I have to unload within so many hours and yet still be called up front to run a register during the middle of it (QueVision) and still be chastised for not completing the work load. (I've seen grown men cry over this ) .
Thanks for your reply, I guess I'm just going to ride out the storm. In the end, there is so much personnel turn over in our store that usually I'm the last one standing.
Another thing you can do is too add some vacation hours to pump yourself up to the minimum (to keep your insurance) at the end of the month. If you do that wait until the last week of the month and don't complain about your hours. Technically it does not cost the store anything, but some managers don't like it if they think people are trying do it to avoid working.
My contract goes by seniority as well, but stipulates the the employee must be 'Able and Available'.
Might try looking into just becoming a cashier. Here they need cashiers badly and are always begging them to stay over. Any new hire who is not working out gets thrown in the register now.
Thanks. Personally I think our cashiers are treated worse than baggers. At least the Baggers have freedom of movement and can go to the restroom when needed. Cashiers have to beg and beg to get their breaks. Also so far the Baggers haven't been whipped as badly as the cashiers do because they're constantly pushed to increase their ring tender speed. That's probably about to change too because our stores had a bagger contest to see how fast a person can actually put groceries in the sack.
It's a good idea you had to cash in a little of my vacation time to pump up my hours and that might help a lot so thanks for everything.
Thanks. Personally I think our cashiers are treated worse than baggers. At least the Baggers have freedom of movement and can go to the restroom when needed. Cashiers have to beg and beg to get their breaks. Also so far the Baggers haven't been whipped as badly as the cashiers do because they're constantly pushed to increase their ring tender speed. That's probably about to change too because our stores had a bagger contest to see how fast a person can actually put groceries in the sack.
It's a good idea you had to cash in a little of my vacation time to pump up my hours and that might help a lot so thanks for everything.
Boy, it's so good to see someone finally address this!
When I was a cashier, the slave plantation working conditions were so bad I was literally not allowed a bath room break. None at all. So I got fitted for what is called a condom Foley catheter---it's non-invasive a fits over the end of your penis with a drainage tube attached to a bag. I would keep my shirt un tucked and let it bag around the tube, and the bag itself I found a way to sort of hide under the counter. I would find various ways to distract people when I needed to move around with it.
The smell could be terrible sometimes, but for that I would surreptitiously spray some Febreeze around my check lane. Hey, you do what you gotta do, am I right?
Call your Union Rep or talk to your store union steward (if they are a decent sort of person) first about this. They should have some advice on how your proceed. Its not good to just go to management and either tell them that you demand more hours, or else threaten a grievance if your contract allows for it. However, asking nicely will probably get your complaint pushed back. Definitely a problem highly contingent on the local politics at your own store.
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Thanks for the good advice Stranger. I'm not going to really pursue this any further unless my FEM continues to get in my face and gloat and smirk.
I mostly asked here so that I had options and didn't feel so vulnerable.
I've had a nice couple of days off exploring around town and working around the house, weather has been great, he's actually done me a favor, I should thank him - haha jk...
In our store though, going to the union pisses off management, they make it clear they'd rather you go to them first.
Oh another silver lining is that by only going in two days I don't have to even see FEM very much. So much drama happens, and turn over is so high, that in a week or so no one will even know each other....
Call your Union Rep or talk to your store union steward (if they are a decent sort of person) first about this. They should have some advice on how your proceed. Its not good to just go to management and either tell them that you demand more hours, or else threaten a grievance if your contract allows for it. However, asking nicely will probably get your complaint pushed back. Definitely a problem highly contingent on the local politics at your own store.
You answered not a damn thing and solved absolutely no problems.
Yep that pretty much sums up any career at Kroger. Answered nothing and solved nothing. Next?
Anonymous wrote:
Stranger wrote:
Call your Union Rep or talk to your store union steward (if they are a decent sort of person) first about this. They should have some advice on how your proceed. Its not good to just go to management and either tell them that you demand more hours, or else threaten a grievance if your contract allows for it. However, asking nicely will probably get your complaint pushed back. Definitely a problem highly contingent on the local politics at your own store.
You answered not a damn thing and solved absolutely no problems.
