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sewolb
Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 6
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:39 pm Post subject: Ignoring safety violations
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Hi, first time poster here. Been with lowes for almost 3 years, and I've 'loved' every minute of it.
My store is a complete mess. Moral has never been so low, management has no clue how to do their jobs, and our staffing is a joke. Our sales manager has committed at least 3 safety violations over the last month or so and somehow still has a job. Twice he has operated the cherry picker without wearing the harness and has driven the star wars during business hours out on the floor with no spotter. Call me crazy but isn't there a Class A violation in there somewhere? I am amazed he hasn't been fired. I've seen people fired for moving the picker just a few inches without the harness. Just goes to show how uncaring management is at my store I suppose.
Just wondered what your opinions where about this.
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skibunny
Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:18 am Post subject:
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Do you have an lp in your store? You could send an annonymous note giving the dates and times that you observed this behavior. He/she can then review tapes. We had an ops manager fired for a safety violation. Doesn't matter who it is they are all held to the same standards. We only had 2 zone managers willing to get onto power equipment for any reason. I think they just didn't know what they were doing or were afraid of not operating safely. Then again I'm sure most of you would say that they were just plain lazy. Perhaps.
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sewolb
Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 6
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:54 am Post subject:
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We have an lp trainee, and he has been told about every instance. However he is just a 'yes man' and said he had to discuss it with our ops manager since the incident involved a high ranking manager. Our store manager said he would take care of it, but nothing has been taken care of as of yet. I have a feeling that it will be swept under the rug like most everything else at that store.
Question....if a zone manager leaves the bullpen door open all night, isn't that some kind of violation? How about managers giving their overide number over the phone because they are too lazy to walk to the department to punch it in themselves? God that store is a joke.
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mdovell
Joined: 22 Dec 2007
Posts: 461
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject:
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man that's lazy....
As for the sales manager keep in mind that's probably the next position to be axed....
Since when does there need to be a manager for sales? What could a sales manager do or say that would make a specialist sell better?
I'm sure there's no real sales or coaching done by professionals...no zig ziglar or norman vincent peal etc.
Also remember the sales manager can't fire anyone so don't be afraid to report to higher up. he/she can't do a thing to you.
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Lowesdriver
Joined: 23 Jan 2008
Posts: 78
Location: Right here
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:59 pm Post subject:
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| mdovell wrote: |
| Also remember the sales manager can't fire anyone so don't be afraid to report to higher up. he/she can't do a thing to you. |
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the store manager the only one that can terminate employee's?
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usafcop580
Joined: 04 Oct 2006
Posts: 67
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:36 pm Post subject:
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Have a cell phone with a camera? Take a picture and mail it to corporate LP. Have you tried going above your store LP to either the ALPM or RLPM?
The MOD can fire certain violations in absence of the SM. I think Class A is one of them along with sexual harrasement. All others need approval of the HRM and SM.
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skibunny
Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:54 pm Post subject:
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Sexual harrassment must be investigated in order to terminate. There must be a pattern of behavior not just one incident.
Sales managers are over the specialists in the store. The sales manager is over more than just the specialists. Order management and installation are some of their responsibilities. Keeping up with all of the signage and promotions including rebates are their duty. I'm assuming Dovell that you've not been to a sales specialist meeting so you don't know what you are talking about.
The lp trainee should not be reporting this safety violation to the store manager. They should be reporting it to the district or area lp manager. They could also contact an lp manager at a neighboring store to find out what to do. They shouldn't take a picture with a cell phone camera since having a cell phone in the store is a violation itself. Lp has a camera that they can use. It's the same camera they use to report all injuries and incidents.
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Mackie23
Joined: 06 Jun 2008
Posts: 2
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject:
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Like skibunny said, the LP position is really a position all on it's own. Technically, the LP manager can fire anybody in the store for a safety violation including the store manager because they are there to enforce corporate policy. Before you make any statements that might result in you getting fired or any other retaliation, look up the Whistleblowers act.
The LP position is unique in that not only is it there to prevent physical damage to company property, it's there to prevent associates as well as customers from getting injured. For those that haven't seen people lose fingers, crush limbs, or run over customers, this is a very serious issue. If you have any question of how seriously your LP manager is taking his job, I would recommend that any correspondence you have with him be copied to both your store/district/region managers. If no action is taken, save all copies and send them to corporate.
PE safety is there for a reason and if your LP manager isn't up to the task, your store is screwed. Whatever you do, don't take your own pictures with a cell phone like skibunny said. That's an easy way to get fired on the spot and completely get ignored. Follow the rules and play the game.
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mdovell
Joined: 22 Dec 2007
Posts: 461
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject:
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| skibunny wrote: |
Sexual harrassment must be investigated in order to terminate. There must be a pattern of behavior not just one incident.
Sales managers are over the specialists in the store. The sales manager is over more than just the specialists. Order management and installation are some of their responsibilities. Keeping up with all of the signage and promotions including rebates are their duty. I'm assuming Dovell that you've not been to a sales specialist meeting so you don't know what you are talking about.
The lp trainee should not be reporting this safety violation to the store manager. They should be reporting it to the district or area lp manager. They could also contact an lp manager at a neighboring store to find out what to do. They shouldn't take a picture with a cell phone camera since having a cell phone in the store is a violation itself. Lp has a camera that they can use. It's the same camera they use to report all injuries and incidents. |
Actually I know of a dept manager that was kicked out any and all mtp's due to sexual harrassement. Then he ultimatly left on his own.
The only people that can have the power to fire would be
sm - obvious
ops if the sm is out
hr - for more personal claims
In terms of hiring there can be interviews with others but I think it comes down to the same three people.
MOD might be able to write people up but they can't bypass these three on the top. If they confirm a write up OK but if not it would be denied.
LP is technically a different branch since there's district and regional levels. I don't know if LP technically can fire someone but obviously if they catch someone stealing and confirm it you can't have someone that steals to continue to be an employee. If a sm allows something like that then thats their fault.
I'm sure there's probably some management that bends rules here and there...I've seen people hired when they shouldn't have, fired when they shouldn't have etc.
I know a sales manager looks at the due file but frankly I'd say if there's decent specialists I think they should be able to take care of their own orders. As for installs there's a install manager. And the signage team generally does things pretty well on their own. A deptment gives itself a price audit monthly and there's ways to check their own signanage within a department and where to put it. It's all in the system.
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LowesMillworks
Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 98
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:49 pm Post subject:
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If I remember correctly from my just completed orientation, safety violation punishements are not set in stone. If you notice the wording, a class blah blah blah....CAN BE and not WILL BE cause for termination. That tells me, its just like the real world legal system where two people can be arrested for the same thing but one will get jail time while the other gets probation. An employee who is not liked could and most likely would be fired while a well liked manager might recieve a verbal reprimand.
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sewolb
Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 6
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 1:29 am Post subject:
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| LowesMillworks wrote: |
| If I remember correctly from my just completed orientation, safety violation punishements are not set in stone. If you notice the wording, a class blah blah blah....CAN BE and not WILL BE cause for termination. That tells me, its just like the real world legal system where two people can be arrested for the same thing but one will get jail time while the other gets probation. An employee who is not liked could and most likely would be fired while a well liked manager might recieve a verbal reprimand. |
I figured it would depend on who you are as to whether or not you get fired. This manager isn't exactly well-liked by floor associates. I just don't think the store manager wants to disrupt our sinking ship of a store anymore than it already is by firing a high ranking manager.
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