Kroger, the nation's largest grocery store chain, ended hazard pay for its workers on May 17, 2020. The company seems determined not to reinstate any additional pay for frontline employees. It is willing to permanently shutter stores to avoid paying workers, who are putting their lives at risk, a few extra dollars per hour.
As stated before Kroger has been egregious for years and even the Union was not helpful to the employees when my son was working for them five years ago. Boycotting Kroger is not option for many in many less populated areas because they are it.
I shop Food Lion but wonder if they are any better. We have two choices here and Kroger counts on their monopoly.
Money runs this country. The 1% corporations mostly and owners don't care about us except to take advantage of us as employees and consumers.
Sometimes it all gets overwhelming to feel there isn't one damn thing I can do to change life for the better. I feel for all front line workers. Three of my four kids and their mates have had Covid. All of them caught it at work as the original exposure. The 23 year old was the sickest. On day 10 she had to go back to work even though she still felt terrible. It was the State of VA and the CDC that came up with that gem. Who knows the long-term effects of this disease. A month out she still feels the effects of Covid-19.
So Kroger isn't the only culprit in the chaos of the Pandemic. But they are certainly Bullies in it.
I don't think that it can be seriously debated anymore that a significant majority corporations in this country simply don't give a sh-t about anything other than profits and/or shareholder dividends. Kroger's is just a poster-child for this greed. We live in a world filled with Gordon Gekkos (and/or Donald Trumps).
Here we go again; We are told a company is in financial trouble and that’s why they need to maintain their employees inadequate hourly pay low. While their wealthy, overpaid CEO is raking in MILLIONS and the stockholders are profiting more than they should, the people actually DOING THE WORK that keeps the company making money are unable to get a living wage. Sounds about right for people living in America. Well, SHAME ON US!! Until we realize this is an unethical way to do business and create rules and regulations to bring some sort of balance to this terrible and unjust system, we will continue to have the rich multiplying their profits on the backs of the working poor. It’s time for unions to make a comeback and give workers a fighting chance, but we have to make sure they aren’t scalping their workers too. It’s a minefield out there.
Keep up the pressure on America's Robber Barons -- Denmark, for instance, easily handles paying minimum wages of US$16 an hour and can still sell Big Macs for US$1 apiece less than they sell for in the United States where no one can live decently on America’s paltry minimum wages. https://dianefrancis.substack.com/p/american-un-exceptionalism
As depressing as it is to still see Kroger putting profits over people, really happy to see Trader Joe's stepping it up. I love that store and I give Aldi also all the business I can. Two grocery stores, same company, that do treat their employees way better than anyone else! And they always have.
Aldi and Trader Joe's are different companies. The Aldi we know here in the states is Aldi Sud. Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi Nord. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi
The 100 dollars is an insult. They cut hours like crazy to make up for it, making the work environment even more stressful. As a long time Kroger employee I’ve seen the company go from good to the unethical nightmare it has become now.
Judd, in your search for campaign finance info, no doubt you are familiar with "Open Secrets", https://www.opensecrets.org, provided by Center for Responsive Politics but perhaps some of your readers would find this site interesting to search before you get up and running on your next project. Thanks for ALL you do!
Judd, the other stingey thing Kroger is doing is NOT allowing the employees who bring the groceries to your car, accept tips. I have a Kroger(Fry’s in AZ) 1 block from my house and have used this service many times since the pandemic. The employees are wonderful. I am done. Will drive 1-4 mikes away to other stores.
Do these wage and management decisions impact workers at all grocery chains in the Kroger company? For example, I usually shop at a Harris Teeter store, which is ultimately owned by Kroger.
I know Harris Teeter has pretty much integrated their point-of-sale and network systems with Kroger, but still maintains a separate help desk from Kroger. I don't know about personnel and management.
While I disagree with Kroger's actions and lack of concern for their employees, I also disagree with local governments dictating to businesses how to run their business. The employees are in a union and the union represents them and is their voice. I wonder, did those local governments give their front line workers hazard pay or did they cry poor because of lost revenues? I believe the proper course of action for the government, if they are concerned for the workers health, is for the institution of added protocals to keep the workers safer while doing their job. The end result did not help the workers, the community or the government.
Judd, where does Walmart Grocery stand in this regard? I'm thinking of former towns/cities/states I've lived in (and friends who still live there) and wondering what other grocery options there might be for them. My bff basically has to choose between Kroger and Publix (which she prefers, but which you've also reported on), and I'm wondering what might be a better local option for her. (Thanks for mentioning Trader Joe's, and ty Kim for reminding me about Aldi's!) Not sure if my elderly friend has either store nearby, but will put those ideas to her!
If your friend has both Kroger and Publix close by, she should also have an Aldi fairly close and can find it with the Aldi Store Locator - https://www.aldi.us/stores/. We live in a small town in the sticks; our nearest Aldi is 18 miles away.
ty! We actually spoke today; she said she has a friend who goes to Aldi's and that she would ask to go with her for her next grocery run ... aka as soon as the snow melts!
Wonderful work as usual Judd. I personally will never shop at a Kroger again if I can help it. These corporations prove time and time again the only thing they understand is their bottom line. If people nationally boycotted Kroger for their pathetic response to the pandemic, that coupled with your newsletter would bring about real change. Throwing some fuel perks to the employees is such a slap in the face. I'm constantly surprised by how a company can lie repeatedly with the facts available. The stores they are closing would obviously still be profitable with the wage increase. To claim that a $4 wage increase would send them into a tailspin is just a flat out lie.
As stated before Kroger has been egregious for years and even the Union was not helpful to the employees when my son was working for them five years ago. Boycotting Kroger is not option for many in many less populated areas because they are it.
I shop Food Lion but wonder if they are any better. We have two choices here and Kroger counts on their monopoly.
Money runs this country. The 1% corporations mostly and owners don't care about us except to take advantage of us as employees and consumers.
Sometimes it all gets overwhelming to feel there isn't one damn thing I can do to change life for the better. I feel for all front line workers. Three of my four kids and their mates have had Covid. All of them caught it at work as the original exposure. The 23 year old was the sickest. On day 10 she had to go back to work even though she still felt terrible. It was the State of VA and the CDC that came up with that gem. Who knows the long-term effects of this disease. A month out she still feels the effects of Covid-19.
So Kroger isn't the only culprit in the chaos of the Pandemic. But they are certainly Bullies in it.
I don't think that it can be seriously debated anymore that a significant majority corporations in this country simply don't give a sh-t about anything other than profits and/or shareholder dividends. Kroger's is just a poster-child for this greed. We live in a world filled with Gordon Gekkos (and/or Donald Trumps).
Obviously meant to write "a significant majority OF corporations in this country.........."
That's what I get for typing too quickly!
Here we go again; We are told a company is in financial trouble and that’s why they need to maintain their employees inadequate hourly pay low. While their wealthy, overpaid CEO is raking in MILLIONS and the stockholders are profiting more than they should, the people actually DOING THE WORK that keeps the company making money are unable to get a living wage. Sounds about right for people living in America. Well, SHAME ON US!! Until we realize this is an unethical way to do business and create rules and regulations to bring some sort of balance to this terrible and unjust system, we will continue to have the rich multiplying their profits on the backs of the working poor. It’s time for unions to make a comeback and give workers a fighting chance, but we have to make sure they aren’t scalping their workers too. It’s a minefield out there.
Keep up the pressure on America's Robber Barons -- Denmark, for instance, easily handles paying minimum wages of US$16 an hour and can still sell Big Macs for US$1 apiece less than they sell for in the United States where no one can live decently on America’s paltry minimum wages. https://dianefrancis.substack.com/p/american-un-exceptionalism
As depressing as it is to still see Kroger putting profits over people, really happy to see Trader Joe's stepping it up. I love that store and I give Aldi also all the business I can. Two grocery stores, same company, that do treat their employees way better than anyone else! And they always have.
Thank you for all your hard work!
I shared again with everyone I could.
Aldi and Trader Joe's are different companies. The Aldi we know here in the states is Aldi Sud. Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi Nord. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi
The 100 dollars is an insult. They cut hours like crazy to make up for it, making the work environment even more stressful. As a long time Kroger employee I’ve seen the company go from good to the unethical nightmare it has become now.
I will enter a Kroger only for shouting obnoxiously about worker rights..
Thank you, Judd, for an excellent article, once again.
Judd, in your search for campaign finance info, no doubt you are familiar with "Open Secrets", https://www.opensecrets.org, provided by Center for Responsive Politics but perhaps some of your readers would find this site interesting to search before you get up and running on your next project. Thanks for ALL you do!
Judd, the other stingey thing Kroger is doing is NOT allowing the employees who bring the groceries to your car, accept tips. I have a Kroger(Fry’s in AZ) 1 block from my house and have used this service many times since the pandemic. The employees are wonderful. I am done. Will drive 1-4 mikes away to other stores.
Do these wage and management decisions impact workers at all grocery chains in the Kroger company? For example, I usually shop at a Harris Teeter store, which is ultimately owned by Kroger.
I know Harris Teeter has pretty much integrated their point-of-sale and network systems with Kroger, but still maintains a separate help desk from Kroger. I don't know about personnel and management.
While I disagree with Kroger's actions and lack of concern for their employees, I also disagree with local governments dictating to businesses how to run their business. The employees are in a union and the union represents them and is their voice. I wonder, did those local governments give their front line workers hazard pay or did they cry poor because of lost revenues? I believe the proper course of action for the government, if they are concerned for the workers health, is for the institution of added protocals to keep the workers safer while doing their job. The end result did not help the workers, the community or the government.
Judd, where does Walmart Grocery stand in this regard? I'm thinking of former towns/cities/states I've lived in (and friends who still live there) and wondering what other grocery options there might be for them. My bff basically has to choose between Kroger and Publix (which she prefers, but which you've also reported on), and I'm wondering what might be a better local option for her. (Thanks for mentioning Trader Joe's, and ty Kim for reminding me about Aldi's!) Not sure if my elderly friend has either store nearby, but will put those ideas to her!
If your friend has both Kroger and Publix close by, she should also have an Aldi fairly close and can find it with the Aldi Store Locator - https://www.aldi.us/stores/. We live in a small town in the sticks; our nearest Aldi is 18 miles away.
ty! We actually spoke today; she said she has a friend who goes to Aldi's and that she would ask to go with her for her next grocery run ... aka as soon as the snow melts!
I love this discussion format b/c the rhetoric is not hateful but informative
Wonderful work as usual Judd. I personally will never shop at a Kroger again if I can help it. These corporations prove time and time again the only thing they understand is their bottom line. If people nationally boycotted Kroger for their pathetic response to the pandemic, that coupled with your newsletter would bring about real change. Throwing some fuel perks to the employees is such a slap in the face. I'm constantly surprised by how a company can lie repeatedly with the facts available. The stores they are closing would obviously still be profitable with the wage increase. To claim that a $4 wage increase would send them into a tailspin is just a flat out lie.
Boycotts work, and divesting in their stock helps, shouting from the rooftops doesn t help that much but don t sto shouting either
did this co get stimulus money?