Albertsons workers in Southern California vote for strike

I retract my last statement.

There are a lot of nasty tricks.

One of the things they tried with me was to place me on a job by myself with insufficient tools and other barriers to job progress, and claim that I was unproductive.

However, I had sufficient documentation to ward off that tactic, including word for word conversations and accurate, fair descriptions of events as the occured. But, it took a huge chunk out of my personal life.

However, with enough time and enough carefull, patient malevolence, you can get rid of just about anyone. I have tried to look back on it from the perspective of being a manager and how I would have dealt with me. If I am honest, I haven't always been right nor always gone about things the way one should, perhaps the same as the managers I was up against. Except for the one who truly was a coniving, sadistic, evil man, capable of selling his own mother into prostitution.

In the end, I was totaly burned out, with my marriage done in and without support from co-workers who complained a lot but who would not stand up for themselves.

Old Man, have we unwittingly highjacked this thread?

Been There wrote:

There are a lot of nasty tricks.
One of the things they tried with me was to place me on a job by myself with insufficient tools and other barriers to job progress, and claim that I was unproductive.
However, I had sufficient documentation to ward off that tactic, including word for word conversations and accurate, fair descriptions of events as the occured. But, it took a huge chunk out of my personal life.
However, with enough time and enough carefull, patient malevolence, you can get rid of just about anyone. I have tried to look back on it from the perspective of being a manager and how I would have dealt with me. If I am honest, I haven't always been right nor always gone about things the way one should, perhaps the same as the managers I was up against. Except for the one who truly was a coniving, sadistic, evil man, capable of selling his own mother into prostitution.
In the end, I was totaly burned out, with my marriage done in and without support from co-workers who complained a lot but who would not stand up for themselves.
Old Man, have we unwittingly highjacked this thread?

People are trying to learn from our conversation, as the average young person doesn't know how a job advancement can be just the opposit. They should understand how a strike can blow up in their faces, when it's all said and done. Life is a mine field in many situations. One thing, before I forget it, one of the guys on my last job carried a voice activated recorder in his shirt pocket at all times. So when management would start something with him, he simply said, "I am recording this conversation." That put their pantys in a bunch. But it does show there ways to stand your ground. But, you know, that's a sorry way to live, from my point of view. It's good, every place doesn't operate that way. There are casinos here in town who have been approched to unionize many times and the workers turned it down every time. They pay well, and treat their workers like people, not a piece of equipment. Example: They built a very nice child care center for employees children only. That is the way to treat people, but employers just don't get it, most of the time. I was never personally fortunate to work under such conditions.

To have to always be on guard is in fact a sorry way to live. And, I won't do it anymore.

If things get to feeling shatty, I'll just move on to another job. I own my vehicles, have a low balance on my mortgage with low payments and a fixed interest rate. My credit cards are used for convenience only and the balance payed off every month.

It may be a little harder to do with the economy slowing down, but an employer will never own me again.

Been There wrote:

To have to always be on guard is in fact a sorry way to live. And, I won't do it anymore.
If things get to feeling shatty, I'll just move on to another job. I own my vehicles, have a low balance on my mortgage with low payments and a fixed interest rate. My credit cards are used for convenience only and the balance payed off every month.
It may be a little harder to do with the economy slowing down, but an employer will never own me again.

Why didn't you tell me you were my long lost brother. I think we are both old enough to understand life isn't what you want it to be, it is, what it is. It is up to us to deal with it. Don't expect much, so what ever you get, is a blessing. Life is easier that way.

EX CUSTOMER wrote:

I used to shop at Albertson's until that big strike. I shop all over now and save a lot of money. I went back to Albertson's not long ago and looked at the prices, I just walked out. I'm not shopping there and pay 3 times what I pay at other stores! I like the Asian Supermarket's, they have all kinds of unusual things, and good prices. I also shop at the 99 Cent Store for groceries. Shop around, you'll save money and it's fun!

Don't forget the Mexican stores their produce is usually cheaper and fresher. They often have deals on Shrimp also. Isn't it strange the Mexican and Asian stores can sell cheaper than the big stores, who can buy stuff by the train load, yet the little guys buy a box or two of the same thing. Do you think it has something to do with the guys at the top getting paid multi, multi, million dollars per year? NAW, that couldn't have anything to do with their high prices, could it?

I would have to know the Mexicans who own a Carneceria and the employees.

I have worked around enough of them concerning other occupations to very wary concerning them handling my foodstuffs, from sanitation to where did the stuff actually come from. In many ways.

The vast majority of the real Mexican markets will probably have serious code violations, and tend to have extended family working with a dole out system rather than paying wages with all the employee/employer contributions. It will be the rare "employee" who will have a health card, as is required in any business the health department is involved with.

Besides, even though I might like them, chances are they are illegaly present, utilizing fake documentation, practice extreme tax evasion, and otherwise compete unlawfully in a manner the big chains, unionized or not, would get seriously hammered for.

Old Man wrote:

<quoted text>Don't forget the Mexican stores their produce is usually cheaper and fresher. They often have deals on Shrimp also. Isn't it strange the Mexican and Asian stores can sell cheaper than the big stores, who can buy stuff by the train load, yet the little guys buy a box or two of the same thing. Do you think it has something to do with the guys at the top getting paid multi, multi, million dollars per year? NAW, that couldn't have anything to do with their high prices, could it?

I agree that the top operates according to the percieved bottom line, might not know about and surely doesn't care about the bottom tiers of employees, and will charge whatever the market will bear while squeezing those who make the cash register work.

One big difference between being a faceless corporate employee and working for a little guy you see every day:

The little guy might be an underfunded, unreasonable tyrant, but at least he has some semblance of understanding of what you do to make both him and you some money.

Been there wrote:

I would have to know the Mexicans who own a Carneceria and the employees.
I have worked around enough of them concerning other occupations to very wary concerning them handling my foodstuffs, from sanitation to where did the stuff actually come from. In many ways.
The vast majority of the real Mexican markets will probably have serious code violations, and tend to have extended family working with a dole out system rather than paying wages with all the employee/employer contributions. It will be the rare "employee" who will have a health card, as is required in any business the health department is involved with.
Besides, even though I might like them, chances are they are illegaly present, utilizing fake documentation, practice extreme tax evasion, and otherwise compete unlawfully in a manner the big chains, unionized or not, would get seriously hammered for.

With all due respect, I see the same produce boxes in both stores. At different times of the year, everybody buys their stuff from a wholesaler who imports from the country who is harvesting a certain thing, apples, grapes, whatever. I can't or won't speak for other places, I don't live in. I live in Vegas where you can get closed down if your the biggest casino or a corner sandwich shop, if you are caught, not playing the rules. I know I've seen it. As a 14 year old I worked for Krogers, and we made deliveries. I remember one resturant that had rats running around the store room. It was not within 2,000 of Mexico. Every building project has a high percent of "undocumented" workers and every kitchen, and housekeeping of every casino, hotel, and motel, in this town, and across America. What we had years ago, has gone. It will never be the way it was, EVER. That's life in the USA on September 18,2007. What was, was, what is,is. Many fought for diversity, well now we have it. WE look back at the past and see it as we want to remember it. Today in California the minorities are caucasian people. The majority people will come right out and tell you, who is running things. You know what? They are right. I have stood in line and seen one after the other, get their food free, with their government issued card, and not be able to utter one single word of the common language of this country. Many of them, OK, most of them are working off the books, pay no taxes, send money back home every week. What is that state back east with the motto, "Live free or die?" it seems certain people have taken that to a whole new and higher level. Been There, everything you say is true except for the health issue. Even the government of a country south of here prints out little books telling the "undocumented" how to get here and what to do, and how to stay. To see America you have to look back over your shoulder, as a figure of speech.

Things do change, there is no way of going back except in memory, but not everything is set in stone concerning the future.

By the way, I care not what the color of a person's skin is, I just care that it is America.

I have a link to Mexico in my house, but I have recently realized it is from an older Mexico with an older American experience. Some things are understandable through perception of a national character, but others are much different due to time and differing local origins.

I suppose it would be like interpreting America through someone who vauguely remembers the troop trains of the boys bound for Europe and the Pcific as a child, but missed out on the election of Kennedy and hasn't been back since.

America has changed, but it does not have to be Mexico, no more than it has to exclusively belong to the corporateers.

Old Man wrote:

<quoted text> I can't or won't speak for other places, I don't live in. I live in Vegas where you can get closed down if your the biggest casino or a corner sandwich shop, if you are caught, not playing the rules. I know I've seen it.

I live in the Inland Empire of Southern California, and the rules just don't seem to apply to those who pretend not to speak English when it is to their convenience.

EX CUSTOMER wrote:

I used to shop at Albertson's until that big strike. I shop all over now and save a lot of money. I went back to Albertson's not long ago and looked at the prices, I just walked out. I'm not shopping there and pay 3 times what I pay at other stores! I like the Asian Supermarket's, they have all kinds of unusual things, and good prices. I also shop at the 99 Cent Store for groceries. Shop around, you'll save money and it's fun!

Good for you. keep shopping those 99 cents stores and save your money on fake colgate toothpast made in china, that will kill you and buy you kids some lead painted toys while your at it.
I do agree Albertsons is a rip off go shop at stater bros.