Vent regarding my job as fuel center lead
I started working at the fuel center in January 2020
A *major grocery store chain* owns the fuel centers, which are located on the same property as the grocery store
In the spring of 2021 my employer purchased several hand held devices that are used on the job at every department
For the fuel center, the hand held devices are used for the daily inventory count and replenishment. 7 days a week the fuel center has to be restocked
At that time the fuel center sold 1) soft drinks, sport drinks, energy drinks, 24 packs of bottled water and products for your car
Starting in 2021 store management has not provided coverage for the fuel center clerk when they go inside the grocery store to collect the products, but the city office/city corporate headquarters wants the restocking done 7 days a week. When you finish collecting the products, you press send and a report is sent to the city office/city corporate headquarters
Store management also does not either collect the products or provide coverage while the fuel center clerk is collecting the products
The fuel center clerks were on their own regarding restocking the fuel center as well as getting change for the fuel center register, getting cleaning supplies to clean the fuel center, getting receipt tape for the register, taking a break, going to the bathroom and so on
There has also been an issue with missing hand held devices beginning in 2021. Store managements answer to that issue is to ask every department if you can borrow theirs.
When I do that I am either told 1) the department does not have one or 2) the department is currently using one
So, I let the store manager on duty know that and I ask them what do you want me to do about not being able to get one? I am told that restocking needs to be done and that one will be found. When it is found, it is later during my shift.
But lately there has not been one available, and store management has to give me theirs to use.
We are also responsible for cleaning the fuel center, putting up price tags, refilling squeegee buckets and so on
I was promoted to lead in June 2023
At that time I asked the manager over the fuel center *let’s call her Judy* if we could have additional staff since there were only 3 of us working there. Judy told me that if she did that, then my hours would be cut.
In November 2023 my employer purchased several big reach in merchandisers for their fuel centers and had them delivered to each fuel center
The big merchandisers held much more products compared to what was sold at the fuel center in 2021
The fuel center clerks were still expected to restock the fuel center 7 days a week without any help
At that time there was an opening shift and a closing shift the majority of the time
Sometimes there was a mid shift, but this was not consistent
Starting January this year there is only an opening shift and a closing shift 7 days a week
From what I heard other fuel centers have the same issue
The spring of this year Judy was no longer the manager over the fuel center. Joe was now over the fuel center
Starting the beginning if October this year the grocery store that is located next to the fuel center was getting ready for a grand re-opening due to a renovation on 10/18/24
One of the assistant managers, *let’s call her Kim* came to the fuel center towards the beginning of October when I worked the opening shift and told me the following
There has not been much oversight from store management regarding the fuel center
There has not been much communication from store management
The big merchandiser that stores 1) snacks, 2) jugs of water, 3) cases of water, 4) and products for your car is not arranged properly regarding the products *She wants the product on the packaging to match the product on the price tag or shelf tag; for products in the wrong place either find the corresponding price tag or shelf tag; if you cannot do that, take the product off the shelf and transfer the product back to the store using the hand held device. The correct products may need to be ordered as well using the hand held device
And to let the fuel center staff know all that, which I did
Kim returned the following day when I worked the closing shfit and reprimanded me for the above not being done even though I told her I informed the fuel center staff
Kim told me I had to all of that on my shift that day, which I did
I also let the fuel center staff know what happened
I also ordered product for that merchandiser, which i let Kim know
On Wednesday of this week one of the fuel center staff told me that someone from the city office/city corporate headquarters came to the fuel center and noticed there was no-one at the fuel center because she was inside the store collecting the products
That employee then came to the grocery store and asked the store manager on duty *let’s call him John* why there was not a mid shift
The employee told me that John told her to stop what she was doing and to return to the fuel center
I opened Thursday of this week, and I noticed that for the big reach in merchandiser, the products were either 1) in the correct place or 2) not in the correct place.
When I asked John about that, he told me the following 1) there cannot be any holes regarding the products in thar reach in merchandiser, 2) not all the product was delivered, and 3) so product was restocked here there and everywhere.
Thursday of this week the regional manager over the fuel *let’s call him Mike* came to the fuel center while I was working the opening shift. I was refilling the squeegee buckets and putting up price tags when he came
Mike told me the following while he was there
Is there a mid shift? I told him the last time there was a mid shift was in 2023
Do you have help regarding restocking the fuel center? I told him no and that the opener does that 7 days a week
More cleaning has to be done for the grand re-opening; I told him that I did some cleaning that morning but with only 3 of us we do our best with what we are given
That we need more help
I was off on the day of the grand re-opening Friday 10/18
I opened the fuel center today, and when I went inside to get a hand held device, John told me the following… 1) do not worry about finding one, 2) we will address the issue tomorrow, and 3) go back to the fuel center. John seemed irritated at that. So, I left the store without asking him why
I found out from Joe that they *I am guessing the city office/city corporate office* does not want anyone leaving the fuel center unattended while collecting the products.
So, I e-mailed Joe a recap of his conversation with me as well as carbon copying John, Kim and the store manager
