This afternoon, another email sent to management to solve grievances raised was suppressed and deleted by the IT department of the supermarket.
We have it and we share it below, however, first, let’s share the complaint of email deletion in italics:
Dear Powers that be,
Something additional to think about….
While all efforts have been made to delete the email that was sent previously, and this one will receive the same treatment in all likelihood, (Many of the recipients did not receive it as IT were instructed to take it down) kindly note, that since then, another manager has resigned from TR BU.
The purpose of the information offered was not to hide behind lies or merely stand on ceremony, it was to preserve anonymity and as much longevity to affected staff in the company as possible in the current circumstances. Hiding this, will not stop people from feeling the way they have been made to feel for this long. It simply is a last resort of sorts to get somebody to sit back and ask themselves some glaring questions and act.
Maybe it is time that the powers that be acknowledge there is something amiss. Would it not be easier to transfer one GM as opposed to several other managers from TR BU and see what happens? Even the recent meetings have only resulted in a minuscule and superficial change, which most can see through. Have we not seen the same thing time and time again before the GM goes back to his “normal operation mode?
Why is this not considered a plausible step to take, after all, some of the remaining managers may very well not be here for whatever obvious reasons. Why does no one ask or wonder what could be wrong? Why is there no genuine conversation about what is really going on the ground? If at all advice being given is what it seems to be, kindly see attachment to show you that all humans err, and everybody should be listened to, regardless of their stature in this company that promises to value its human resource fearlessly. Please ask yourselves this, why is there so much effort to silence this query? Is it a mistake to have asked and continue asking these questions? What if what these emails divulge have some truth to them? What if we are right, and you are wrong?
Original email that was deleted
Dear senior management,
This is an appeal to get your attention, it seems over the past four years or so, nothing regarding the topic about to be talked about seems to get the attention it deserves, and if it does, for some extremely curious reason, nothing is done, which also raises another striking question. Striking and alarming because, there have been complaints including from HC manager(TR). She and the country HC manager are aware that there have been and continue to exist issues that have made and continue to make the working environment at TR Business Unit unhealthy. Its no wonder why few staff if any believe in the expolink process or channeling complaints through HC offices, because nothing is ever seen to be done or change & the feeling on the ground is that they are compromised and are compelled to maintain status quo. Again this is evidenced by the numerous sackings, transfer requests and resignations from TR branch.
We wager no other Business unit in the country matches up to TR
TR BU, a hub of insults, harassment, victimization and bullying has turned to be a place where dull and painful moments are what many staff get every day, thanks to the former nonfood DH Hub & current TR GM. He not only openly shows bias and disdain against people, he is abusive, crude and insulting, he also hardly shows appreciation or give recognition to employees. When it comes to speaking up, employees here are better off not being bold, together or passionate as he is very unlikely to listen and respond to feedback, and even when one tries to be heard, it is as if they are challenging authority, and when he listens, he hears a few words and begins to interrupt. That is a brief definition of the version of boldness, passion and togetherness on the ground at TR.
It is no secret that TR very likely leads in resignations, terminations & transfer requests. Is it because that TR staff are the laziest, ignorant, most indisciplined, most uninspired and generally the poorest performance as per MAF standards in the country? Not exactly. The GM, Mr Naccache , if you ask a majority of the staff will readily tell you that he is viewed as the biggest impediment to staff morale and healthy work environment. Or maybe they wont, because of the backlash that will likely find them for speaking up. Comments, suggestions raised on various platforms including town hall meetings which by the way are meant to attract zero victimization hardly serve any purpose at TR. They are just a break from work with snacks. They serve no purpose because opening your mouth there is tantamount to inciting other staff or trying to arm twist management into scenarios they would rather not have. The GM severally has interrupted speakers at the town hall meetings to either ask whether they have been sent by their bosses, peers to raise complaints. Is that not part of the point? Don’t they represent all staff? Or is it only those who are invited for a particular meeting who have the right to speak to their current issues? How about longstanding unsolved issues? He openly harasses staff by interrupting their contributions by saying ” do you have a warning Letter?” , “I know you…..” , “Did your boss send you to petition or leverage that?” . Open intimidation at town hall meetings is the norm. And yes, this happens in the presence of HC officers without any attempt to stop this. Staff have had their contributions or suggestions in such meetings become the subject of their continued harassment even months later. Why should such an abraisive person be the chairman of such a panel which should directly affect the staff welfare, when he is one of the biggest impediments and derailers of that same staff welfare? Conflict of interest, isn’t it?
The town hall for TR is considered by most if not all staff a farce.
Workers with a poor attitude about work and the tasks they are required to complete will have a negative effect on those around them. Just as a positive attitude is infectious and spreads to others, so too do poor attitudes have a negative effect on worker relations. This can cause and continues to cause division in the workplace, making it difficult for employees to collaborate with one another, as the poor attitudes spill over into how they treat one another. The TR GM is a undoubtedly a sterling business mind, which might be the reason he is viewed as untouchable but when it comes to dealing with humans, he has some failings. MAF offices are strategically and heavily branded with the values and policies. They say that humans are the most important resource that they have. This is doubtful, going by how the GM treats his workers. how is it that TR staff are so bad that nearly all managers have one or more warning letters/ show causes or pending disciplinary issues? (Feel free to check) some even several weeks apart? Which other BU can boast of 3 consecutive hygiene managers resigning, one after the other? Risk & Compliance & Textile Section manager MTP’s have resigned, even before completing a month while at TR Immediate Former Deli Section Manager who has since resigned, & whom the GM openly threatened, in presence of staff had severally lamented to peers of the difficulty faced in dealing with the GM. Almost all managers at TR, have been either shouted at, insulted, Harassed, ridiculed in front of their subordinates, customers, or fellow staff. The problem is no one will ever report because nobody will dare sacrifice their already difficult jobs to act as a witness against the GM. A GM who cannot control his anger, shouts, insults and even constantly mock firing people while on the shop floor and have we not seen his threats come to pass with some of those he threatened on multiple occasions with termination and disciplinary action end up going home? The many disciplinary issues, letters etc , wethinks are just a way of silencing people.
Such behaviors are what embolden junior staff to become insubordinate, do what they want, sabotage their section managers. Why, because they openly see that managers at TR are merely people to be insulted, humiliated, shouted at and take the blame for whatever goes wrong. Staffs know that whatever they do wrong will always land on their managers and hence are always cushioned. This happens until for example a manager is terminated and the remaining staff go on with their malpractices. A good example is the Butchery section. How many staff has it lost in slightly over a month?
Employees to whom nothing will be done regardless of how seriously and many times they break the code of ethics seem to thrive in TR BU, including former Fresh food DH of the famous arrest due to insulting and physically intimidating behavior, now transferred to Uganda Before leaving, during a two day merchandisers strike that happened at TR, openly confirmed that he was sorry he insults staff in public and he would try to do it privately. this was in the board room, in presence of the GM.Shortly after that was the well-known case of Joaquim Delmas , immediate former GM TRM.
Why force staff to go for so many trainings yet there seems to be no interest in doing what is preached? All these trainings on Smashables, code of ethics are just looking like they are formalities. Staffs are anything but happy.
The displays of shouting at a former deli manager who has since moved to Sarit in front of his staff and customers couldn’t have been warranted, or forcing the Immediate former Store Financial Controller to remove his uniform in the commercial office in presence of stockers supervisors and other subordinates are not on any values or code of ethics that we know of, and further add to the ridicule by parading him around the shop in a coat and vest for several hours after his termination? Where does it say that is acceptable behavior even when terminating someone he clearly dislikes? isn’t that harassment? forcing someone to strip of their uniform? Also, how is it that his termination letter was prepared so quickly that right after his appraisal to render him incompetent, (after 1 year!) the document was ready for signing? Wasn’t this planned and premeditated? WE say this because the GM has severally given instructions for people to be terminated, but within the law & company policies, such that the affected employee will have no recourse. The end justifies the means right? If an employee has to go, reasons are raised that are in accordance with the law & company policy. HC are aware of this kind of occurrences listed, but surprisingly, at TR its everyone for themselves.
Employees never know where they stand, and generally dislike any interactions with the GM. He cannot be reasoned with; He cannot be told. Everything has to be his way. He doesn’t listen. when somebody is silent because they can’t explain to him as he never listens to anyone. that becomes a case of rudeness and incompetence…this, happens even at times to expatriates, to whom the same laws and standards that are applied to us natives don’t apply. job descriptions are not honoured. Please investigate how many managers do not have confirmation letters….some even years after confirmation dates or transfers….
Working hours are seriously violated, good examples are finance, decorations, CCO, R&C with no thankyous only to be told they put their personal interests in front of the companies. Can there be a disclosure of attendance time reports for managers, are they supposed to work at the behest of the GM for however long he deems necessary?
Records cannot be provided for managers, only junior staff. Why? Is that Legal? Surely it can be legal for some staff to work 60-65 or more hours a week(decoration, R&C, DEli, F&V) with no overtime?
According to the labour laws,
PART IX – EMPLOYMENT RECORDS
- Records to be kept by employer
(1) An employer shall keep a written record of all employees employed by him, with whom he has entered into a contract under this Act which shall contain the particulars—
. (a) of a policy statement under section 6(2) where applicable;
. (b) specified in section 10(3);
. (c) specified in section 13;
. (d) specified in sections 21 and 22;
. (e) of an employee’s weekly rest days specified in section 27;
. (f) of an employee’s annual leave entitlement, days taken and days due specified in section 28;
. (g) of maternity leave specified in section 29;
. (h) of sick leave specified in section 30;
. (i) where the employer provides housing, particulars of the accommodation provided and, where the wage rates are deconsolidated particulars of the house allowance paid to the employee;
. (j) of food rations where applicable;
. (k) specified in section 61;
. (l) of a record of warning letters or other evidence of misconduct of an employee; and
. (m) any other particulars required to be kept under any written law or as may be prescribed by the Minister.
(2) An employer shall permit an authorized officer who may require an employer to produce for inspection the record for any period relating to the preceding thirty-six months to examine the record.
As managers do not clock in, where do they verify the hours? A manager can easily work between 10-12 hours a day with no compensation. where are the working or timing records of any managers? even those who work well past 12-24 during special calendar events? with insults as thanks? TR managers are overworked, insulted, intimidated, threatened and it is said that the working atmosphere is conducive to create great moments for everyone every day. Please, what do you think?
We think that TR staff are very hardworking, persevering and Like their jobs. But it is difficult to work in light of the aforementioned concerns. They do not have a bad attitude at all as may have been presented. The truth is, their attitude, unfortunately, reflects the leadership.
Employees don’t quit their jobs, they quit their managers.
Yours sincerely,
Concerned MAF employees
Reference Document
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