KROGER'S ON STRIKE - - 3 states involved- - guess what they want???

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 2, 2003

I agree Krogers' employees need to get with the program IF this is the crux of their matter...they need to do what (love or hate him) Dr Phi says and "GET REAL!"-----

I do not know, however their issues, as I have not followed their story.

But Walmart is nothing but a legal sweat shop for its employees....and bastion of abuse and I refuse to shop there on principle alone---thank goodness I am out of Oklahoma and have a choice. They damn near shut down all the stores in the small OK town I used to live in before moving to WA.

I would not cry to see Wallyworld disappear tomorrow here.

manna, BSN, RN · Dec 2, 2003

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes
I would not cry to see Wallyworld disappear tomorrow here.

I live in a small town, but we are due to get a WM supercenter sometime within the next year - I'm actually looking forward to it.

Sure, I would love to support the smaller stores, but they could use some competition so as not to rob the consumer blind....

Last time I bought a block of cheese at my local grocery store for $5.29 when the MSRP was clearly marked on the box as $2.99.

I know they have to make a profit, but I don't particularly like supporting a monopoly either. (and surely the MSRP has some sort of store profit built in?)

FutureRN~Pookie · Dec 2, 2003

Hmmmmmm..... I haven't heard anything on this Kroger story.

passingthru, you said that Kroger's prices were already sky-high. Did you mean in just your particular store? Cuz here they are the cheapest grocery store around. By FAR!

Anyway, yeah, they need to shut up and just pay.

Deb, agree with your post 100%!

Kacy

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 2, 2003

careful what you wish for...

walmart would be a monopoly IF they had it their way...

and in some small towns, this wish is come true! Oh the Walmart Fairy is all over smalltown America.....

passing thru · Dec 2, 2003

Until last year, Kroger's was the #1 grocer in the country.

They had been for decades.

Last year, Walmart over took them.

Walmart buys such humongous amounts from their suppliers, that they can negotiate

the lowest prices,

and pass on these lower costs to their customers -

as lower prices.

Ten years ago,

I worked home care for a man who owned nine very large , very modern grocery stores in south Texas.

He said Krogers was the "most ruthless" of all grocery store chains.

He said if a new grocery store opens up in a town with a Krogers, that Krogers will cut their prices, and undercut the other store until the other store goes out of business.

We saw it happen in four different towns.

Now, Krogers is blaming Walmart for their low prices - -

Walmart is doing exactly what Krogers did to their closest competitor.

When Walmart unionizes, of course their prices too will go up.

Pookie,

If you have low Kroger prices, it is probably because of a nearby competitor.

Our Krogers here is several miles from a competitor and has a city of 40,000 as a customer base.

Now, everyone is driving "out on the highway" to Walmart. Most people already did, I think, for the lower prices.

Krogers is such a huge national chain, that if they close a few store's here for the duration of the strike, or charge lower prices at your store, because of a competitor,

they can weather it because of the vast # of stores they have.

Their #2 status is very close behind Walmart. They will probably regain #1 status one of these days.

As my patient, who had competed with them for 30 years, said:

"They are tough characters, impossible to compete against ."

I don't think Walmart can be accurately described as

""a legal sweatshop.""

What would you call your local McDonalds, Whataburger, Dollar Store, hospital.....??

Lotsa folks are earning minimum wage in many kinds of businesses.

Walmart is such a huge employer.... it makes them an easy target.

Anyways, I refuse to pay higher grocery bills to insure Kroger employees who already went on strike numerous times and now earn as much as most of the registered nurses at the hospital...and they did it without wasting $$$ or time going to college.

More power to them.

But Kroger's will not absorb the cost of their insurance.

Us customers will.

The cost will be passed onto us.

FutureRN~Pookie · Dec 2, 2003

Ours is right besde Walmart. Like next door to each other.

:confused:

Kacy

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 2, 2003

IN some ways I see this as a parallel to nursing's struggle for a decent way of life.

Just cause Walmart is a big employer does not make them ethical...not at'tall.

Neither are the hospitals/institutions that employ nurses.......

I say again I know not of the Kroger employees' strike and their demands; I just find it funny we are condemning them for something we in nursing my do to improve pay/benefits.

I won't always pay to the lowest bidder if I know practices are fair to the people employed in a given retailer. Too bad, we can't ALWAYS know that...but I know what I know about Walmart.:zzzzz

lanilpn · Dec 2, 2003

manna- i lived in a small town and got a WM- it did nothing for us but piss off the historical commitee.

Krogers have it lucky- my last place of employment-Dr. office, just cancelled the insurance for the employees. Yes, cancelled it. the company is splitting up and doing so before they had a new ins. co. lined up. they are not even offering cobra. is there a law against this?? :confused:

manda

prmenrs, RN · Dec 2, 2003

This is the same strike that has been going on in Southern Ca against grocery chains here--it's spreading! It's been ~ 8+ weeks now, and I have only crossed the picket line once--last weds. Now the Teamsters are honoring the strike, so they are having problems getting products.

Unbelievably aggravating! :(

passing thru · Dec 2, 2003

Smiling RE:

your post # 8.

I don't understand what you are saying.

The original post is about Krogers employee's going out on strike.

Not for higher wages.

Kroger employees do not pay one thin dime towards their own health insurance.

Krogers has explained out the Kazoo for a year that "OUR COSTS for employee health insurance have increased 800% in the past 10 years."

We want you employees to pay $50 a month towards your own and your familys health insurance.

The employees responded: "Screw you...You can up the price of the groceries and let our customers pay for our insurance."

"If you don't , we will close these stores. We will walk out ! "

STRIKE !!

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 2, 2003

Like I said, I dont' know much about their complaints and why they are striking.....

I don't pretend to know anything here...just musing.......

but It would NOT have me rushing to the nearest Walmart Supercenter to shop. That is all I am saying.

I won't argue they are being reasonable cause I do not know firsthand their demands. I dont' think we have ANY Kroger's here in the Seattle area. If we do, I can't say where. We have a few Walmarts, however. Along with so MANY other choices of places to shop, thank Heavens!

I hope they resolve this issue soon, to what end--- who knows. I will leave this thread with that thought.:kiss