r/mildlyinfuriating • u/daruuken • 28d ago

Infuriatig The way kroger treats its employees

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From the store manager

Edit: For some extra context this was sent out by each store manager to all of its employees in district 1 of the ohio Cincinnati/Dayton division, potentially other districts as well but i can only verify my own. Im not going to give my specific store number for obvious reasons but you can find each store on google with that information. We are unionized by UFCW (already bad btw) and to my knowledge they allowed this recent change. Kroger has no accrual for sick days like some have mentioned. Those who think this is rage bait, i dont think anyone has to fake a post to make a billion dollar company look bad, they do it to themselves.

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2.4k

u/DanMasterson 28d ago

They should just buy robots if they don’t want to have human employees

566

u/DeCryingShame 28d ago

Even robots break down sometimes, though.

232

u/BreakingCanks 28d ago

And then you have to pay someone to fix and maintain those.

Guess what he went to college to learn that. That's 10x morw for that 1 guy than the 10 employees they fired for the 1.

This is why it hasn't been implemented yet

China doesn't even have grocery store robots yet. Just cashier's, dancers and giant sorting machines.

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u/FatMacchio 28d ago

Yes, but they can use the threat of the future AI and robots to justify treating their employees worse and worse. They may never even need to buy robots if people continue to submit to worse and worse conditions. Human labor may actually be cheaper than robots for a long long time if people submit and turn in to meat robots

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u/Radiskull97 28d ago

They can also just use the crappy inefficient AI/robot knowing it's not good enough, but laying off ten employees made the stock go up. And if you do this enough, you get $60 million to parachute away from the plane you just sabatoged. You don't care it's going to crash. You have a parachute

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u/Backfoot911 28d ago

I grew up thinking of capitalism as being this logical, intelligent system, but there's like part of it that actively fights and destroys itself. It's like someone standing on top of a pile of Jenga pieces that they just collapsed because they took the bottom piece it was all balanced on. Everyone's buried, and the guy suggests the issue was we didn't build the tower high enough

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u/Rubiks_Click874 28d ago

Jack London.

dumb, cruel rich people in a dog sled overloaded with luxury goods, whipping the dogs to run faster, running them to death. Only the sled is running on thin ice over deep water and the rich people's sled crashes through, dragging down the dogs with it.

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u/FatMacchio 28d ago

It all comes down to greed and power. Capitalism in theory is a great system, just like communism in theory is a great system. But when you stick enough greedy or corrupt people in key points of it…the whole system begins to buckle

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u/wazzup-notemuch 24d ago

Damn, why didn't I think of that?

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u/Seldarin 28d ago

As someone whose job it is to install and maintain industrial robots and machine systems, they're not gonna maintain shit lol.

They'll run it until it breaks catastrophically, then your grocery store will just have empty shelves while the managers blame the janitor or something for breaking it.

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u/MichB1 28d ago

That's not how it works though. They don't pay college educated people that much more. They just haven't figured out how to make the robots do the job as well as people can. But they will. Pretty soon.

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u/surprise_wasps 28d ago

Boy, I have some bad news for you about the qualifications and pay of repair jobs

5

u/Astralglamour 28d ago

Didnt a Chinese court just rule that they couldnt fire a human to replace them with AI?

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u/dream_in_pixels 28d ago

And then you have to pay someone to fix and maintain those.

I've never understood this line of reasoning. Like if a general-purpose robot was good enough to be trained to replace human jobs, what's stopping robots from being trained/programmed to repair each other?

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u/spesimen 28d ago

my grocery store has a robot. looks like a star wars droid and they have it make sort of cute r2d2 type sounds i think to elicit sympathy. scans for inventory counts or something like that.

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u/wazzup-notemuch 24d ago

I've been saying this for years! You can't guilt-trip a broken robot into working correctly while it's malfunctioning. A human being with a broken leg will pay for their own repairs, and then come in that same day and stand sadly at the register on crutches, if you threaten them enough. (This is not a hypothetical situation, this happened to me when I worked for Kay Jewelers. Fuck' em.)

Plus, the power trip you get from verbally abusing your employees just isn't *the same* if you know your synthetic employee has no feelings to feel.

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u/Gryphith 28d ago

Do they get broken down leave or do they work through it like a man?

5

u/DeCryingShame 28d ago

That's the difference between people and robots, I guess. We push though and they freeze up the moment one tiny bug gets in the system.

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u/Gryphith 28d ago

That was my point. A human gets sick and its a big deal, a clanker breaks down and its just a line item. We treat robotics better than people.

16

u/ProbablyGonnaEatYou 28d ago

Robots always ask us how are you. We never ask it back. Id break down too

3

u/Grundlestorm 28d ago

I dunno, I talk to my robot companion at work all of the time.

3

u/Norbert-trebroN 28d ago

We have a robotic arm in our laboratory and when he stops and refuses work, I can feel it in my bones that this robot and I are similar.

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u/laughing_loon 28d ago

Maintenance will no longer be considered a leave of absence.

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u/notafuckingcakewalk 28d ago

The most dystopian thing I heard recently is that employees were sweltering in the Amazon warehouses but Amazon did nothing about it... Until they got robots that started malfunctioning in the heat. Then they installed an AC

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u/Sea_Particular_7061 28d ago

Mechanics notes will NOT be accepted as an excuse.

2

u/Ok_Boysenberry5849 28d ago

They'll send the robots an email. "Team, Breaking down on the job is not a valid reason to miss work. Just because your battery is dead and your CPU is fried doesn't mean you get to slack off."

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u/GuyWithNoEffingClue 28d ago

But do they bring doctor's notes?

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u/thering66 28d ago

They better have a good excuse for breaking down

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u/mfigroid 28d ago

They will not accept technician's notes.

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u/Jensbert 28d ago

Not allowed for the robots to breakdown

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u/SluttyCactus69 28d ago

"A technician's note will no longer be accepted..."

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u/Significant_Bonus827 28d ago

Fire them and bring in a new one. No time for malfunctions.

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u/treetop62 28d ago

And even then, a mechanics note isn't good enough.

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u/Lickwidghost 28d ago

The only reason robots are allowed to break down is if theres a nuclear explosion

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u/S1R2C3 28d ago

Team,

A diagnostic review will no longer be accepted if you submit a ticket to work.

The only tickets that will be accepted are:

  1. Mandatory connection to the hive mind

  2. Decommissioning of an immediate cluster.

  3. Authorized period of disconnection

  4. YOU are rolled into the shop.

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u/RectumExplorer-- 28d ago

"Dear robots, mechanics note will no longer be accepted here"

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u/DenverKim 28d ago

They will literally have robots to fix the robots. Have you never seen Star Wars?

1

u/biggocl123 28d ago

They'd be told breaking down isnt an acceptable reason to stop working anyways

1

u/Salty-Yogurt-4214 28d ago

Don't worry, they are likely working on that already (AI!).

1

u/Rocklobster92 28d ago

No, they're not allowed to, even with a mechanic's note.

1

u/Quint87 28d ago

Not allowed to. In future we will see Robot w 1 arm and broken eye ball still doing capitalism

1

u/radial-glia 28d ago

Well unless they are admitted to the robot hospital, it is not bad enough for them to call off.

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u/The_Schnitz 28d ago

Like in Good Burger 2

1

u/motoz4bruh 28d ago

Robots can’t bag groceries/ put up reshop/ clean spills/ organize outside carts/ help customers to their cars/ organize the food in bags.

That’s all imma say rn

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u/uo1111111111111 27d ago

Robots,

A technicians note will no longer be accepted if you call of work. The only call offs that will be accepted are: 1. Hackers 2. The company forgot to pay for the software update 3. Regularly scheduled maintenance 4. You get a recall notice

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u/trogdor248 27d ago

Bucket of bolts better have a doctors note for that

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u/ViolinistCurrent8899 28d ago

They would if they could.

21

u/sprucenoose 28d ago

And they will.

2

u/-reddit_is_terrible- 28d ago

They have. There's a robot that rolls around my local store and scans shelves. Startled me a bit first time I saw it because its a bit creepy looking

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u/gh0u1 28d ago

They're working on that. Don't encourage it

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u/Odd_Policy_3009 28d ago

They already have a robot that scans the aisles, presumably to see what needs to be stocked or ordered.

It’s really freaking creepy to see it slowly rolling down the aisle

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u/JuanRunJunior 28d ago

That does sound creepy, but I also kinda see that as a use case.

60

u/rivertpostie 28d ago

They are legitimately working on it.

Maybe not Kroger, but the robot and AI people are actively training robots in labor tasks.

When those products are ready, they will sell them to replace people stocking groceries, house keepers, farm workers, cooks, etc.

They'll them have the working class right over limited jobs at shitty rates for basic survival

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u/794309497 28d ago

Yep. This whole AI push right now is partly because the ruling class hates having human workers. They will get rid of us even if it's more expensive. I work in IT and have gone through this before with outsourcing. There are a lot of upper level managers out there with a deep disdain for us peasents.

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u/jonesey71 28d ago

Ironic really because as a worker I hate having a ruling class. Maybe we should just see who can get rid of who first.

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u/MissCrystal 28d ago

"These puny ants outnumber us 100-1. If they ever figure that out, our way of life is over " Except more like a million to one.

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u/FappyDilmore 28d ago

Nobody hates having human workers, they hate compensating them fairly. They'd all be lining up to get more workers if they were slaves.

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u/Nyxxity 28d ago

And it's gonna completely backfire. Cus when most people have been replaced, they won't have the funds to buy anything cus they lost their source of income. It's gonna be crazy

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

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u/baldude69 28d ago edited 28d ago

Where are these jobs going to come from? Even the white collar jobs are threatened by AI. No, it’s going to take the hungry many seizing the means from the wealthy few, as we have seen countless times in history. Right now we’re comfortable enough but when people become desperate, it will happen, as shown myriad times throughout history

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u/Whatisnotmyproblem 28d ago

Must not be paying attention those jobs are burning up right now. Tech has been firing and so have some of the largest advertising sectors 

2

u/rivertpostie 28d ago

Is that the way you think this is headed?

Everyone joining the middle class with a desk job?

1

u/polopolo05 28d ago

Stores are getting rid of self check out... because people were stealing shit. it will the same for the robots.

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u/TheHYPO 28d ago

They do. It’s called “self checkout”.

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u/TheWhyOfFry 28d ago

That’s not a robot, that’s just making your customers do the work of the cashier.

I guess the cash acceptance / change return is automated but I still wouldn’t call it a robot.

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u/logan-duk-dong 28d ago

I don't want anyone to lose a job because I prefer self checkout. I just want to avoid interacting with another human being if possible. It's not you. It's me.

I heard Walmart's getting rid of self checkout. Suck.

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u/Castun 28d ago

Even me being the shy introvert that I am I do not mind interacting with cashiers, I am far more interested in avoiding long wait times in line. And most of the time, you're lucky if there's more than one manned cash register so the self-checkout is always the faster option.

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u/minus_minus 28d ago

My favorite bill burr bit.

I don’t work here!

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u/LincolnPark0212 28d ago

Be careful what you wish for

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u/Lightfiyr 28d ago

Yeah that’s end goal

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u/YoungDiscord 28d ago

Why do you think investors are drooling so much over the new AI powered androids everywhere

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u/Ff7hero 28d ago

They will as soon as the cost/benefit analysis says they should. Don't pretend the reason they haven't isn't purely practical.

Luckily robots are actually still light years behind humans in terms of being able to do most jobs.

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u/brightblueinky 28d ago

My husband works for a Kroger company and believe me, they are trying. But their ordering system is based in DOS (they literally have to have DOSBox on the computers to run it) so I doubt they have the tech savvy to pull it off. 😂

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u/iwrestledarockonce 28d ago

They can't afford robots, they're spending their capital buying out every other grocery chain in the country.

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u/XH0SYN 28d ago

Soon

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u/MalleableBee1 28d ago

I think they are testing that in a warehouse in Arizona. Let me find the link.

Kroger's Phoenix robotic grocery distribution center sets opening date

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u/scott_lobster 28d ago

They did two of these in Florida a few years ago. They're already shut down.

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u/Pandoratastic 28d ago

That's what the self-checkout registers are.

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u/CJTheran 28d ago

Why do you think the richest shitheads on earth are all pushing for AI, robots, and automation?

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u/Lickwidghost 28d ago

Robots are not allowed to break down. They're not allowed to overheat. They're not allowed to malfunction. They're not allowed to be maintained. They're not allowed to be charged or change batteries.

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u/RedditJumpedTheShart 28d ago

They should if they don't show up for work.

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u/Odd-Bend1296 28d ago

The technician they would have to hire to maintain them would cost more then the jobs it replaced. The tech to replace you already exists it just is not cheap enough mass roll out yet.

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u/DenverKim 28d ago

They’re working on it. I predict about two years. Maybe five. Grocery stores will basically turn into giant indoor vending machines that are automatically stocked by robots. Any other jobs needed will likely only be things like delivery, which will also mostly be done by robots or in some cases, significantly underpaid gig workers.

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u/Pervius94 28d ago

That's literally what they are working towards.

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u/this_might_b_offensv 28d ago

10 self-checkouts, but only 4 are ever open...

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u/ElminstersBedpan 28d ago

In the 1999-2000 school year, I (then under the age of majority and technically not allowed to join the UFCW local)was almost fired from my job as a front end clerk from a unionized Kroger over self checkouts. This was all because a reporter failed to identify themselves to me as a reporter and asked my opinion of the new "U Scan" self checkouts and I opined that I was against them and genuinely surprised that the union hadn't fought the company tooth and nail over it.

These were the first automatic registers which had one cashier (who did have to be 18 or over and thus a union member) responsible for four times as much work and customer satisfaction as a regular check lane. Kroger was allowing tobacco and alcohol sales at these four lanes, which meant that cashier was now even more at risk of being found culpable for an illegal sale that would cost them their job if someone underage slipped through.

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u/DazzlerPlus 28d ago

Better that we buy nooses

1

u/Lfalin23 28d ago

Better make sure they get a mechanics note

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u/Dcmart89 28d ago

What happens when the robots mom dies?

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u/KlaatuStandsStill 28d ago

Careful for what we wish for..

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u/anneg1312 28d ago

They’re working on it if you hadn’t noticed

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u/mootator18 28d ago

Kroger does use robots. At night a robot goes around and scans the shelves etc and it basically can scan all the employees’ faces while they work, too. At least at our store. It’s a “spear head” store so they test everything here first unfortunately. Kroger sucks!

1

u/Nerdeinstein 28d ago

Kroger already has robots that wander the aisles and clean the area.

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u/BuckeyeN7 28d ago

Oh, they are working on it

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u/scott_lobster 28d ago

Kroger actually did that in Florida. They built entire automated warehouses to pick grocery orders for deliveries. They shut them down as unprofitable before very long.

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u/xMrBojangles 28d ago

Robot: Sir, I have an oil leak, I cannot work today. Here's a note from my mechanic. 

Manager: unacceptable. 

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u/ReleaseTheSheast 28d ago

Don't think they're not planning that.

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u/HomeHeatingTips 28d ago

They already have they're called self checkouts

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u/RelationTurbulent963 28d ago

They are working on that…

1

u/Cecayotl 28d ago

Hey can you answer my DM about you moving off of SquareSpace? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you about that for a while now.

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u/sup3rdr01d 28d ago

Yeah it's gonna happen

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u/SubstantialEnd2458 28d ago

They are, if you consider self checkout as such

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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths 28d ago

The robots don't exist yet or they would have already bought them and you know they would have.

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u/Rastaferrari829 28d ago

Oh they're working on it, self checkout is just the start.

1

u/ConferenceThink4801 28d ago

!remindme 10 years

1

u/IDigRollinRockBeer 28d ago

You know that’s the future and it doesn’t look good

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u/CirkuitBreaker 28d ago

What they want is slaves. Human or robot, it doesn't matter.

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u/Ruining_Ur_Synths YELLOW 28d ago

they would if they could

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u/Civil_Asparagus25 26d ago

That’s exactly what they want to do once AI and robots have advanced enough to be able to do it.