Tell us more about the Local korgerinsider. Who are the executives and how long have they been around?
Is your contract supposed to cover new Kroger stores in your area (like the one that has opened non-union)? If it does then I definitely smell a really big rat.
UFCW 1996 Stinks
I work for the Kroger Company in Atlanta, and we're part of UFCW 1996. This has to be one of the most corrupt locals in the UFCW.
Recently, Kroger opened it's 1st store in Jasper, GA. and made it non-union. They filled it full of part-timers making $6.75 hr with no benefits. No union members were allowed to transfer to this store, even those that lived close to the store. I asked our union rep why 1996 didn't fight this and basically she said there was nothing they could do about it. I asked her if we were going to picket our own store since this was a non-union store and she just smirked. What a joke! They send out their propaganda about picketing Wal Mart and Publix since they are non-union, yet they allow a non-union store to open up under a unionized company. Now Kroger is planning on opening more stores the same way and perhaps opening them up under another name. Ugh.
UFCW 1996 also allows union employees to work at our corporate office. They wear blue name tags like management, yet are paid hourly just like the rest of the union members. They act as if they are management and the union doesn't care one iota. Some even expressed sadness that they could not go out to California to replace striking workers because they were union themselves. Pathetic! Kroger basically gets free union labor to fill management type positions. Unbelievable!
Kroger also assigns certain persons in each store to be MOD's(manager on duty). These are basically union clerks assigned to do management duties since the union is gullible enough to allow this practice.
Our contract is up next week. Think we've heard anything from the union? Of course not. They'll keep us in the dark until the day before the vote, give each store 1 copy of the contract and expect every member to read it and vote the next day. That happened the last 2 contract votes.
I guess the bottom line is that there's nothing that we can do to stop the corruption in UFCW 1996. It's pretty obvious they are getting paid off by the company based on the acts they are perpetrating. Unfortunately, most people are too scared to pull out of the union down here. The union has them all brainwashed into thinking that it is the union that keeps them in a job. Morons.......
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posted by remote viewer:
Tell us more about the Local korgerinsider. Who are the executives and how long have they been around?
Is your contract supposed to cover new Kroger stores in your area (like the one that has opened non-union)? If it does then I definitely smell a really big rat.
Steve Lomax is the local 1996 president. His son Eric is on the payroll as a union rep. Also on the payroll is the son of the past president, Jerry Hardin. Can you say 'nepotism'?
Our contract covers all Georgia stores. As far as it covering the new store in Jasper....I haven't a clue. You can't get much information out of anyone. All I know is that it opened under the Kroger name and they are not allowing union employees into the store. Regular Kroger management is staffing the store. There are 2 full time employees from my store who wanted to transfer to that store because they live in the vicinity and were turned down. Go figure. Basically, Kroger wants to get rid of all or most full-time employees. I've got 24 years with the company and they would love to see me go. They've pressured several long time employees out of the company through various types of harrasment and the union has done nothing to protect their jobs. Like I said, everyone down here thinks the company is paying them off somehow.
If your contract covers all Georgia stores and the new store is in Georgia, I'd say that it should be covered and it would seem like a fairly simple matter to get it covered.
"There's nothing we can do" sounds pretty lame under the circumstances, particularly for a union that's willing to spend millions trying to organize the unorganized.
We've seen all kinds of games played up here with employers who ask for "special consideration" so they can be more competitive. There are a couple of possibilities:
1. Your local leaders have lost their minds and really believe there's nothing they can do.
2. Your leaders have made a backroom deal with the employer. They will allow this store to operate non-union as a precursor to either (a) bargaining a new contract with lower wages for this store and other new stores or (b) bargaining concessions in your next round of negotiations ("we have to give the company a break or they'll just keep opening up these non-union stores and, ya know, there's nuthin' we can do about it").
As the happy clan at the Local office which explanation is closer to the mark.
If at all possible post (or send us and we'll post 'em) the differences in rates of pay and benefits between the stores that are covered under Local 1996's contract and the new non-union store.
Don't feal alone KrogerInsider we have the same corrupt shit going on in local 588 in Northern Ca thats why this group was formed http://groceryworkers.org/ and let me tell you after our last sellout contract by are so called union leaders this group is growing everyday!