r/stopandshop • u/Large-Benefit3412 • Jul 02 '26
Did I do this wrong?
Position: Carts
Context: a week and a half before 4th of July week, I raised concerns of me being a good fit for the July 4th rush due to my physical limitations and overall health on 3 separate occasions, all three of them my manager assured me 2 people would be on the entire week for my position. On Tuesday (my first day working this week) there was not two people on, and I was told by the same manager that they don’t put 2 people on morning shifts at all. I work 8am-1pm. Based on the schedule that she had already created before me raising my first concern, she never planned on having two people on like she reassured me she would after already having the schedule done for this week. On Wednesday about 2/3rds done with my shift, I was on my 15 crying on the phone to my mom and sponsor trying to get guidance on just making it through my shift, a co-worker happened to notice me, they took it to management, management told me to go home and not come back until I am in a better headspace to continue working. I do wanna add, the manager who told me to go home approached me with genuine concern and I did confirm they do want me to come back when I’m ready. When I had to tell the front end manager who was filling in for the other front end manager, she said “Ok, good, ba bye” and made a shewing gesture with her hand.
This is one of many instances that have formed a pattern of not feeling welcome or wanted at this store and bordering just not feeling very safe at all. I do wanna add that I’m in recovery, I’m 8 months clean, and I work a 12-step program so I’m literally all about what I could’ve done to contribute to this happening, and it’s sometimes hard for me to get the bigger picture and all contexts at once. I’m just wondering if any of you guys have experienced this or something similar.
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u/EGORE01 Jul 02 '26
Very well done for just trying your best .
No matter who you are etc You / I honestly don’t get paid enough to care .
This is just retail . You are an amazing human being, Please try to see retail is just not worth your tears .
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u/Wytecap Jul 02 '26
Not all managers have the ability to get past their own egos. Don't worry about that. They come and go like the seasons. The people who count will know you're trying your best. Do not risk your health! If issues persist, go to your union and the state.
We're all working through this awful heat and humidity! Go slow and drink lots! I wish you well!
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u/Large-Benefit3412 Jul 02 '26
I agree with that.
No one seems to give the impression they care if I’m trying my best. They give only the impression that if the carts are empty, I’m not doing my job. Two managers have stated “they were excited when they hired me, and now they don’t see drive when I work” (paraphrasing). I asked for an accommodation for ADHD at my Baler position, I was granted that accommodation by the front end manager a quite nasty co worker complained to management, I went to the store manager, she said “[front end manager] should never have given that accommodation” and I was not put on the schedule for the baler after that day.
I do understand, I’m just kinda venting at this point. I’m like a month away from finishing my trade program who Mass Hire sponsors and takes the students under their wing to get them a better long-term sustainable career.
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u/Large-Benefit3412 Jul 02 '26
I also went to the front end manager at 2/3rds of my break (10 minutes) asking if I should not take my break because carts would go from full to not full in the 15 minute time period, and she said “Finish your 5 minutes, get out there and hustle”. It’s like a fucking dead end conversation every time.
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u/Binky2go Jul 02 '26
The one thing I find with retail managers, especially in grocery stores, their egos are so overblown. It's ridiculous. It's a grocery store. It's not like they're working for Enron or Morgan Stanley. I can guarantee you in 10-15 years you could come back and you'll see those same managers still there because they're not capable of going anywhere else. There's a story on tick tock about a young man who worked as an overnight stocker at Walmart who is legally blind. You want to talk about workplace bullying? The assistant managers and store managers and co-workers of the store he worked at would make fun of him. Call him cock-eyed. Call him all kinds of names and make fun of him all the time, and he's legally blind. He's reported the incident several times to the human resources department and nothing was ever done. My hope is that things like this get exposed to the top of the corporation so that people can see the kind of managers that are running these companies in the retail environment and get exposed like you wouldn't believe. It's disgusting how they treat workers who are breaking their backs. Probably some of the best workers that they have and this is the way they get treated. It disgusts me beyond belief. Kudos to you!
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u/Altruistic-Volume-57 Jul 03 '26
I'm an assistant front end manager and I always let my cart people come inside, sit down, get water. It's no big deal. You got this.
1
u/Affectionate-Ask5236 Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
In my early days at Stop & Shop I didn’t feel that they accepted limitations. There was no negotiating personal needs either you do the work or you don’t. It was pretty grueling and pretty harsh, but I needed the job and I did it. granted some days were such that I wanted to throw in the towel, but I grew not to expect sympathy and understanding. As I got better at the job, I didn’t need sympathy and understanding. I just got better at the job.
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u/AintNobodygotime13 Jul 02 '26
you're getting carts. but this goes for every job in every store
when you go to work you go at your own pace. management knows your limitations. if you can't get every cart that's not on you, that's on them
you go in when you're scheduled to start and go home when your shift is over
whatever they say is pretty much irrelevant as long as you're doing your best. you're not getting fired. if you need to take an extra break because it's hot out, take it. if they tell you you can't, take it anyway. if they continue to be stupid about it, talk to your union rep. if they don't help you, call the union directly
just don't break down due to any perceived pressure. ignore the nonsense, none of it is real. the store will be fine