General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSo my nearest food store, Stop and Shop, announced that it will be open for fewer hours each
day, opening later and closing earlier. Their staff is unionized and I'll just bet that the union had a role in this, limiting exposure of the workers. That is all to the good.
Our neighborhood has organized to have some people provide shopping for others, particularly the elderly and the disabled. We have an internet system, allowing us to send/receive messages from neighbors for a variety of issues, block watch for public safety being the major one. As a result our neighborhood is safer and car theft very infrequent. The word gets out very fast.
My neighbor works as an on-camera reporter at our local abc affiliate for health and safety issues and is very visible. I remember what a calming effect she had during the Ebola crisis.
So that is what is happening in our local area, the Westville section of New Haven, CT.
empedocles
(15,751 posts)CTyankee
(63,773 posts)empedocles
(15,751 posts)corporate raiders taking short term profits out of newspapers.
Tink41
(537 posts)Every report on stores limiting hours pertains to cleaning and restocking. I'm not questioning the working rules per the Union if thats the case but the official reason makes sense
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)IggleDuer
(964 posts)N/t
Tink41
(537 posts)I'm not sure how much work experience you have but you made me chuckle. If you've spent any time in a service occupation you would know the answer
lunasun
(21,646 posts)IggleDuer
(964 posts)N/T
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)The Union likely had zero to say in the matter, hours are established by management and they could care less about who is and isn't exposed. Retail workers are considered expendable.
What has happened is that hours are limited in order to get the aisles clear to be restocked.
You can throw a lot more load onto the shelves without customers in the way enjoying the real national pastime which is staring at canned goods or in this case empty shelves and asking the same question the last 14 people did which is "don't you have any more in back?"
Get the aisle clear, drop the pallets on the floor, gang stock the shelves, move to the next aisle and do it again and again until it's time to open and you get the empty pallets and crew out of the way.
I'd like to give benefit of doubt, myself a Union member, but we have a retired union butcher in the family, I've heard the horror stories
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)union workers several months ago and it was tough for customers who had to travel far afield to get a supermarket not in that chain.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)For 43 years. The union has no part in setting the hours .
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I use them often, but lately they have been pretty booked up. I just had to order groceries from Roche Bros.
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Taxi to transport my groceries back home anyway, so it's kind of a wash for me and it's very convenient. It's also probably safer during these times since you are only interacting w/ one delivery person instead of all the people inside the market.
I instantly spray Clorox cleaner w/ bleach on my hands and scrub them well, followed by a cleaning w/ soap and water after I receive the products and wipe them down w/ a Clorox wipe.
lame54
(35,143 posts)We open an hour later and close 2 hours earlier
lame54
(35,143 posts)More time working with the store closed
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)lame54
(35,143 posts)There is less need to be open longer
We can use this as an opportunity to super clean
It will take a while for our warehouse to get back in shape so we are adjusting to the situation
CTyankee
(63,773 posts)Journeyman
(15,001 posts)If safety's the rationale behind this, it may be a poorly thought out plan.
nini
(16,670 posts)Unions have some power but not enough to make that call.
Stores where I am are doing the same.