More on Safeway hours cuts, payroll mess, RMS-vendor stocking

Union members employed by Safeway continue to face record hours cuts, and their lives are further complicated by having to serve as test subjects for Safeway’s incompetent payroll system.

With all this chaos in the stores, it is now more important than ever for members to stay on top of rackjobbers and Retail Marketing Solutions (RMS) order writers doing members’ work at a time when Safeway is so severely cutting hours.

RMS order writers are allowed to do one thing – write orders. They are NOT allowed to handle stock – that work belongs to union members, and anytime they do something beyond writing orders, they are taking hours and money out of union members’ pockets.

Similarly, it is just as important to make sure salespeople are not stocking product and taking away your hours. With the Olympics set to begin, some salespeople are getting aggressive about putting up their Olympic displays – this is work that belongs to union members, not outside vendors, and is protected by your contract.

Any member seeing contract violations is asked to please note the specifics (time of violation, what products being handled) and contact their Shop Steward or Union Representative immediately.

If Safeway members experience further hours reductions please contact the union immediately.

As for the ongoing chaos known as PeopleSoft, the union continues to receive regular calls from members who have been subject to mistakes by Safeway’s new payroll software system.

The union has filed numerous grievances to make sure members’ are protected from Safeway’s sloppiness, and these issues will be heard at a mediation-arbitration hearing on February 17.