Kroger has made it clear that their sales are down, they have worker-retention problems and struggles growing market share. After a couple of days of negotiations, Kroger presented their first proposal which includes the points presented below. These proposals don’t address the real issues Kroger is claiming to have.
The Company would like to give workers a raise, but in doing so they want you to forfeit your protection language. Giving up your protection language will have serious negative consequences concerning your job and your future. What do you think?
Kroger’s Proposal Points
- C4 – Section 6.03: Allows the company to discipline unfairly based on their “judgement.” (Article 6 already has language in place for more severe situations i.e.: sexual harassment, theft, dishonesty, etc. This eliminates “just cause”)
- C6 – Section 7.02(e): The company would be able to take away your full time classification if you work ANYTHING less than 40 hours per week for 6 weeks. (If you work 39.5 hours per week for 6 weeks the company can classify you as part time with part time pay and benefits)
- C7 – Section 7.03 (b): This will allow the company to schedule only 30% of the hours to full time employees which eliminates more full-time positions, and makes it even more difficult for part time workers to become full time. (Company’s idea of replacing 1 full-timer with 2 part-timers)
- C11 – Section 7.06: The company would have the right to promote workers to full time without considering seniority. (Gives Kroger the right to use favoritism for promotions)
- C15 – Section 8.03: Eliminates the possibility of getting daily overtime. (Ex. 12-hour work day means no overtime!!)
- C17 – Section 8.05: New workers will not qualify for time and one quarter pay for working on holidays. (Zero incentives for working Holidays)
- C21 – Section 8.09: The company could schedule you on split shifts. (Company has full control over your daily and weekly shifts, which means less time between shifts and less time with your families)
- C22 – Section 11.06 (a): Part-time workers hired after 6/28/2020 could work hard for 30 years and still only receive 2 weeks of vacation. (Part-timers would have to use unpaid-time off for any more than 2 weeks of vacation!)
Ask your store managers these 3 questions!
1. How does this help increase your sales?
2. How does this help retain current and future employees?
3. How does this prevent the competitors from not only stealing your customers, but also your employees?
Tell Kroger management today that we don't need our protection language taken away from us, and we need our healthcare back!