A recently published study revealed that 78% of Kroger company workers face food insecurity. Despite the fact that the workers are surrounded by food, the vast majority revealed that they have run out of food in their homes before the end of the month, they have skipped meals and have sometimes gone hungry.
The independent research report, Hungry at the Table, looked at the working and living conditions of more than 31 ,000 Kroger workers in California, Colorado Washington.
Some workers said that this is due in part to low wages, long hours of work that are not well paid, and lack of access for them to do their shopping in the same supermarket where they work, among many other problems. .
Mrs. Queti, from 62 years, has worked at a Ralphs store for the past five years. He said his salary is $16.30 per hour and despite the fact that on several occasions she works more than 40 hours per week, she is not considered a worker full-time because then they only give him 16 or even 4 hours a week.
“I live alone and for me it is very hard because I pay $1,000 rent and sometimes it’s not enough. I used to have two jobs, but now I can’t because I got hurt , and because of the schedules they give me,” said Queti, who asked not to reveal his true identity for fear of reprisals.
He said that sometimes when he does not bring lunch to work He has bought food in the supermarket, but they have charged him a higher price than usual and they do not respect his word when he tries to correct the cashiers.
“Yes a customer comes and says that he saw the product at a lower price, they lower the price, but if you tell them they don’t listen to me or sometimes they don’t even give me the change,” said Queti. “Apart from that, we have to line up just like everyone else, they don’t take into consideration that we’re on break [descanso]”.
Kroger is the company that supervises supermarkets like City Market, Food Company, Food 4 Less, Fred Myers, Ralphs, King Soopers, Quality Food Centers and Smiths.
The study added that the 44% of the workers is not enough to pay rent and the 14% do not currently have a home or have not had a home in the last year.
Kenneth Juárez, aged 44, is one of the Kroger workers who was forced to leave the place where he lived in the Valley of San Gabriel due to extreme rental prices.
“In the 2008 with the recession I found a property affordable at Hesperia [en el condado de San Bernardino] and it seemed like a good idea to drive every day, but now with gas prices so high, it’s not worth it,” said Juárez, an employee who now a works in Pasadena.
Juárez, who has worked with the company for 26 years ago, said that many years ago cashier jobs were considered middle class and supermarkets used to have better benefits. That was one of the reasons why you decided to stay on the job.
No However, over the years the work has become demanding and stressful with the lack of workforce. The hourly payment is considered very low because it is not in line with the cost of living; He also feels that the company does not have empathy for its workers.
Covid made the situation worse
The report indicates that with the arrival of the covid-pandemic 19 significant challenges also came. Although supermarket workers were considered essential, more than two-thirds reported customer problems and abuse.
A quarter of employees said they were confronted by customers who threatened violence . Additionally, they confirmed that they received no support from management on most of these issues. 31% reported retaliation from managers if they raised customer and other issues.
Despite the fact that at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 supermarket workers received a $2 salary increase for being considered “heroes”, this only lasted two months, Bloomberg reported. However, by the end of 2020, Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen received a bonus package of $22.4 million.
The workers assured that in some supermarkets there were no basic supplies such as gloves, masks or disinfectant.
“I have all my vaccines, but we do not have the necessary protection on hand and we live under fear every day”, said Queti. .
Workers indicated that Kroger limits two-thirds of its workers to no more than part-time .
Frequent schedule changes for more than 50% of workers further jeopardize their search for another part-time job, as has happened to Queti.
“For example, if I arrive at 10 in the morning I realize cen, ‘come back at 2 in the afternoon so you can replace another employee who doesn’t come’ and they spoil my day”, she explained.
Queti assured that the The only reason why he continues in the same job is because he is about to retire and does not have the strength to start from scratch in a new job.
Real America News tried to obtain a comment from the Kroger company but at the close of this edition there was no response.