Safeway Reinstates Suspended Employee

[Sherman A1]

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway here has reached an agreement with a union local that resulted in the reinstatement of a meat clerk who had been suspended last month after intervening in a physical altercation between a man and a pregnant woman, according to the union.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 5 said Wednesday the agreement resolves a grievance filed by the union on behalf of Ryan Young and includes back pay and benefit coverage along with reinstatement.

Ron Lind, president of Local 5, said, "While Safeway has legitimate policies and concerns around workplace violence and the appropriate employee response, once the company heard our presentation of the case, management realized the suspension was not appropriate and immediately worked with us to resolve the grievance and put Ryan back to work."

Safeway officials could not be reached for comment.

more at http://supermarketnews.com/safeway/safeway-reinstates-suspended-employee

[DiverDave]

1. I havnt heard of this before, link to original story:

Ryan Young, who works in the meat department of a Safeway grocery store in Del Rey Oaks, California, was on the job when he witnessed a man beating a pregnant woman, apparently his girlfriend. Young told the man to stop, but he continued with his assault, shoving and kicking the her. Young pushed him away, and ended the attack.

http://ethicsalarms.com/2012/05/22/ethics-dunce-safeway-ethics-hero-ryan-young-justice-waiting/

I understand the liability issue, but Mr. Young had SECONDS to do something before someone ( a fetus, perhaps?)
got badly hurt.
The union did what unions are supposed to do.
They went to bat for him and got everything back for him

One wonders what safeway would have done without the union and public outrage

[1monster]

2. This one doesn't wonder. Had the man not had the union and the outrage pushing them,

Safeway would have fired the employee and then opposed him getting unemployment compensation because he was fire for "cause."

It is SOP for big retail businesses.

[Sherman A1]

3. Yes, it has been a bad PR week for Safeway

because of a series of bad decisions on the part of management.
This one with Ryan Young & their Executive with the foot in mouth problem.

[Omaha Steve]

4. I signed the online petition and posted it on the DU

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002705785




K&R!

[TBF]

5. I'm done with that company until they fire their GC -

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/16/1092198/-Safeway-s-general-counsel-tells-hilarious-sexist-joke-at-annual-shareholder-meeting