Store axes workers for watching funeral

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

JACKSON, Mich. - Two grocery store employees have been fired after they didn't punch out while viewing a 300-vehicle procession funeral procession for a soldier who was killed in Iraq.

Polly's Country Market store produce manager Ron Klimmer and produce retail clerk Michael Wahr received notice of their firings in letters from the company mailed to their homes, said United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 business representative Scott Gould.

They were punished for watching the June 19 funeral procession of Army Sgt. Matthew Soper. The Jackson resident died June 6 in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds from an improvised explosive device.

Gould said a grievance is planned.

"The union feels the company does not have just cause for termination," he told the Jackson Citizen patriot for a story Saturday.

Polly's employees were encouraged to view the procession, and about a dozen did so after punching out or taking their lunch breaks, said Polly's Food Service Inc. President Kim Kennedy.

Employees who did punch out while viewing the procession complained to management about Klimmer and Wahr, the company said.

"Those are the two that chose not to clock out," Kennedy said. "The one thing we do discipline very harshly is stealing, and we consider this stealing time."

Klimmer, a Polly's employee for 31 years, and Wahr, a seven-year employee, had been on suspension.

Klimmer said there were few customers during the procession and service did not suffer because they were outside.

"We might as well have closed anyway," he said. "There weren't enough customers to run a 7-Eleven, much less a large supermarket."

Klimmer said military veterans and others have expressed overwhelming support.

"A lot of people are disappointed," Wahr said.

Jackson-based Polly's is a family owned grocery chain founded in 1934 with stores in Jackson, Lenawee and Washtenaw counties.

link

[almaty 19]

terrible..that Polly is a CHOPF##K

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Polly's employees were encouraged to view the procession, and about a dozen did so after punching out or taking their lunch breaks, said Polly's Food Service Inc. President Kim Kennedy.

Employees who did punch out while viewing the procession complained to management about Klimmer and Wahr, the company said.

The headline ought to be: Two employees fired for riding the clock. Employees were given the opportunity to view the procession and honor the fallen soldier. These two, however, felt it more important to be compensated by the business for doing so. Paying their respect to the fallen soldier apparently wasn't worth their time, so they did it on the employer's time. I don't see what their fcuking grievance is.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

Polly's employees were encouraged to view the procession, and about a dozen did so after punching out or taking their lunch breaks, said Polly's Food Service Inc. President Kim Kennedy.

Employees who did punch out while viewing the procession complained to management about Klimmer and Wahr, the company said.

The headline ought to be: Two employees fired for riding the clock. Employees were given the opportunity to view the procession and honor the fallen soldier. These two, however, felt it more important to be compensated by the business for doing so. Paying their respect to the fallen soldier apparently wasn't worth their time, so they did it on the employer's time. I don't see what their fcuking grievance is.

my question is were they told to punch out prior to or is it an ax grinding exercise by the employer? i fail to see why 5-10 minutes for a funeral procession is a major issue with an employer. talk about some slave drivers.....

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Polly's employees were encouraged to view the procession, and about a dozen did so after punching out or taking their lunch breaks, said Polly's Food Service Inc. President Kim Kennedy.

Employees who did punch out while viewing the procession complained to management about Klimmer and Wahr, the company said.

The headline ought to be: Two employees fired for riding the clock. Employees were given the opportunity to view the procession and honor the fallen soldier. These two, however, felt it more important to be compensated by the business for doing so. Paying their respect to the fallen soldier apparently wasn't worth their time, so they did it on the employer's time. I don't see what their fcuking grievance is.

my question is were they told to punch out prior to or is it an ax grinding exercise by the employer? i fail to see why 5-10 minutes for a funeral procession is a major issue with an employer. talk about some slave drivers.....

Seems that any other employee that went to pay respect to the fallen soldier knew to clock out except for these two. That suggests that the rules were known by the staff. According to the report, the complaints about those two remaining on the clock came from the staff. I don't know but to me it's pretty clear: if you ain't working, you shouldn't be on the clock. I suppose that makes me a slave driver, too. Except that I don't have employees that are on the clock.

[homesick_american 1]

Polly's employees were encouraged to view the procession, and about a dozen did so after punching out or taking their lunch breaks, said Polly's Food Service Inc. President Kim Kennedy.

Employees who did punch out while viewing the procession complained to management about Klimmer and Wahr, the company said.

The headline ought to be: Two employees fired for riding the clock. Employees were given the opportunity to view the procession and honor the fallen soldier. These two, however, felt it more important to be compensated by the business for doing so. Paying their respect to the fallen soldier apparently wasn't worth their time, so they did it on the employer's time. I don't see what their fcuking grievance is.

Me either.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Now, a case along the same lines in Nebraska by Somali Muslims at meat-packing plant.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C290324%2C00.html

Note: the article doesn't say whether any of the complaining workers clocked-out, but I'm suspecting they didn't--and so, may have been fired for trying to "ride the clock".

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Now, a case along the same lines in Nebraska by Somali Muslims at meat-packing plant.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C290324%2C00.html

Note: the article doesn't say whether any of the complaining workers clocked-out, but I'm suspecting they didn't--and so, may have been fired for trying to "ride the clock".

Whirlpool took a similar matter before a federal jury in Nashville, TN back in 2004 and prevailed.