Safeway
reviews and complaints

Issue Type:
Other Food Safety, Sanitation and Freshness
Questions and Comments
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Report Details
Report Submission Date
5/18/2018
Reported Company/Branch Information
Location SAFEWAY - SEATTLE
3020 NORTHEAST_45TH ST.
City/State/Zip: SEATTLE, WA, 98105 )
Please identify the person(s) engaged in this behavior:
Scott (last name unknown) - store manager
Peter (last name unknown) - assistant manager
Sierra (last name unknown) - safety coordinator
Do you suspect or know that a supervisor or management is involved?
Yes
If yes, then who?
Scott (last name unknown), store manager
Peter (last name unknown), assistant store manager
Archie Merlin, department manager
Is management aware of this problem?
Yes
What is the general nature of this matter?
safety and health violations
Please provide the specific or approximate time this incident occurred:
over 60 days ago
How long do you think this problem has been going on?
More than a year
How did you become aware of this violation?
It happened to me
Details
This Safeway location is violating multiple health codes as well as safety regulations. When Louis first began working at this location, he saw meat and seafood coats being stored uncovered in the men's restroom. There were also used clothes in a bin beside the coats and with a bicycle backed into it. It is a health code violation to store sanitary items in a toilet room. This issue was brought up to Delton (last name unknown), former store manager 488, and Archie. A temporary stance was taken 7 or 8 months later. The stance only lasted for a week. Archie cross contaminates everything. Louis has pictures of hair on meat grinders as well as plastic. Archie does not change his gloves or wash his hands. The gloves that Archie does wear are torn. Archie also does not wear a beard net. Snot drips from Archie's nose and into the product. This has been witnessed by other employees. Archie dips his fingers into Kalbi sauce, then puts his finger in his mouth. Archie will then touch raw product without washing his hands. Louis has witnessed this happen on several occasions. On November 27, 2017 at 12:15 pm, an elderly couple wanted a piece of pork to be cut for them. Archie got irritated, went to the dirty sink full of dishes and soap, and pulled out a plastics scraper without washing it. Archie banged the scraper on the side of sink and did not wash his hands or wear gloves before using it. Archie pulled piece of pork and used the scraper on product. Louis observed Archie package the product, label it, price it, and give it to the customers. Louis states that he will take a lie detector test. There are holes in the back room cooler on the ceiling. When Archie uses the meat grinder, the condensation drips into the holes and onto the meat grinder and exposed food. Archie has known about this issue for at least a year. The conduit system is rusted, and the sprinkling system is partially rusted. It has been rusted since October 15, 2016. This year prior to Louis' injury, Scott was stocking frozen product on the sales floor. Louis made the statement to Archie, "Watch. He'll leave it out." Scott left the pallet of frozen product on the sales floor while he went to run the registers. Scott left the frozen product for an hour and a half. Louis decided to put the pallet back in the freezer. When Scott returned he asked Louis where the pallet was. Louis told him that he put it back in the freezer. Employees have 30 minutes to stock frozen product or it has to go back into the freezer for 2 hours to keep its temperature and quality. Since his employment, Louis has been asking management where the hazmat station is. To this day, Louis has still not received an answer. Louis has never seen this station. This is a violation of OSHA standards. When the store has food to give to food banks, they put the food in a cart near the trash compactor. On January 1, 2018, Louis was injured while at work. A few days after the injury, Louis called Peter and asked if he needed to see a doctor or if one would be provided. Peter told Louis that he needed to do it on his own. Louis received no assistance from the store or from the union. Peter also asked Louis if this was out of retaliation or carelessness. Louis made a complaint with human resources. Sierra is in charge of safety. While walking to the bathroom, there was a pallet jack sticking 70% out of the wall. Instead of safely removing the pallet jack, Sierra climbed over it. When Louis approached the pallet jack, he pushed it back in and secured it. Then Louis proceeded to the bathroom to look at his injuries. When Louis spoke to Sierra about filing an incident report, Sierra said she had to go take care of customers, and got on a register for an hour. Louis was forced to continue what he was doing. To complete the report, an employee must complete a drug test. When Sierra was on the phone with someone to make the report, she continuously laughed. Louis did not find anything funny about this situation. Sierra was very unprofessional. The end result was that Louis had to get surgery on both shoulders. Louis was on light duty up until a month ago. Louis went through products on the shelves, and he found multiple products outdated, some as far back as August 2011. Louis found expired cereal and baby food. Louis does have pictures to provide as evidence for this report. Due to Louis' injuries, he will be out of work for nearly a year.
Uploaded Files
1. 20171114_200403.jpg
4 picture's of one of the complaint's(sample's of what I have) that i have.
2. 20171127_153653.jpg
picture 2 0f 4
3. 20171227_164109.jpg
picture 3 of 4
4. 20171227_164132.jpg
picture 4 of 4...Many more upon request to prove..."Details show time and date taken on "ALL" pictures...
5. 20171118_145038.jpg
Clear, but slightly blurry picture...Cross contamination...Pork on table. Poultry ..with his personal drink...Cutting a roast on same table to packaged for a customer...Look closely!
6. 20171202_163216.jpg
This is how Archie leaves his Meat department for Seafood employees to clean on a Nightly basis...1 of many! Doesn't put away knives...we have to hunt for them...leaves it like a slaughter house...
7. 20171210_174933.jpg
Improper use of equipment...Look at wall...splatter from band saw on wall ...not using band saw according to manufacturer and company policy...Happens about 80 % of the time!
8. 20171129_164631.jpg
Black paper wrap in meat grinder...Note...It was used for the day, never removed by Archie...After Archie left...This is what I faced and had to clean...Archie is the only one in this store, besides floaters to operate the meat grinder!
9. 20171230_175420.jpg
Same situation on another date...This time, Plastic in the same meat grinder operated by Archie...Note...All pix ...look in Details shows time and date when taken...
10. 20180309_164213.jpg
Expired product from 2015 found during my lite duty 2018...I confronted Peter...and he replied ...It must of been behind other product that was newer rotated... I said...Nope...I told Peter...It was the only product on the shelf for this product! Excuses, excuses, excuses...Lies!
11. 33021318_618794411812771_6575982894571847680_n.jpg
Archie's world famous "Trash Can Fajita's". Really?...Product sat for 75 min at that spot on a dirty trash can...Time date and stamped! May 2017...but done in April 2017...I have talked to Archie about length of time and out dated products for his department...Archie got insulted and told me "Louis", Worry about your own department and stay out of mine... WTF?...
12. 33021318_618794411812771_6575982894571847680_n.jpg
Archie's world famous "Trash Can Fajita's". Really?...Product sat for 75 min at that spot on a dirty trash can...Time date and stamped! May 2017...but done in April 2017...I have talked to Archie about length of time and out dated products for his department...Archie got insulted and told me "Louis", Worry about your own department and stay out of mine... WTF?...
13. leave of absence.jpg
Date when letter was mailed...Received on May 26th 2018...
14. leave of absence 2.jpg
I never put in this request! Also it states. The date of the Leave Of absence request was on May 12th 2018 (A-Saturday?) My moms Birthday who passed on Fathers day June 18th 2017...Really?!Who forged my name on this request? I NEVER PERSONALLY PUT IN THIS REQUEST, AS IT STATES ... IN THIS DOCUMENT I DID! And to say its for " MEDICAL NON-OCCUPATIONAL"? WTF? Injured on the job, gross and egregious safety violations ...and your so called "Safety Coordinator" Sierra watched 5 feet away...giving "NO-Heads Up" on hazard"? And ...I don't have enough hours under FMLA? WOW!
Follow-Up Notes
5/19/2018 5:00 PM
A side note to add to this report. The seafood manager Dante Lazono verbally expressed back in December 2017 the following. On several different conversations, Dante told me he wanted to change positions and become a meat cutter and asked me (Louis) to take over as Seafood Manager when he becomes a meat cutter. Dante was my supervisor/manager before I got injured. I expressed my interest and told him yes, also he stated that I could handle this position knowing on how I work and my attention to detail and past job performance. This being said, Peters statement/remarks about me getting injured is out of "Retaliation, Carelessness and You know the pallet jacks are always like that " is false and a lie. Due to being injured and length of being out of work, " I JUST LOST A DAM GOOD OPPORTUNITY" for advancement within this company...I lost an increase of pay, management position and full time 35-40 hours a week!
5/28/2018 4:21 PM
I never put in this request! Also it states. The date of the Leave Of absence request was on May 12th 2018 (A-Saturday?) My moms Birthday who passed on Fathers day June 18th 2017...Really?!Who forged my name on this request? I NEVER PERSONALLY PUT IN THIS REQUEST, AS IT STATES ... IN THIS DOCUMENT I DID! And to say its for " MEDICAL NON-OCCUPATIONAL"? WTF? Injured on the job, gross and egregious safety violations ...and your so called "Safety Coordinator" Sierra watched 5 feet away...giving "NO-Heads Up" on hazard"? And ...I don't have enough hours under FMLA? WOW!
5/30/2018 9:48 PM
Another "MAJOR" note..."ALL" safety sweeps are "FALSE"! They call out a Safety sweep over the p.a. for deli or another department or individual ...All this store doe's (employees) is ..They go to the time clock and punch it in! They "NEVER-EVER-PHYSICALLY" walk the sales floor too look for any hazards of anything ...from empty box's.fruit/vegetables and liquid hazards! All penciled whipped joke!
9/24/2018 1:01 AM
If this accident happened if I was a "Customer"? Seven figures plus, attorneys fees, court costs, lost wages and doctor bills!Thanks for nothing...I will be out of work/not released till 6/2019...I got Injured at work 1/6/2018...The laws need to be changed!
Follow-Up Questions/Comments
5/25/2018 3:01 PM posted by Organization
An investigation in to this matter is oen.
9/24/2018 12:51 AM posted by Reporter
I would like to know "WHY"...No correspondence from Albertsons/Safeway on these matters have not taken place. And I found out ..the "Safety" coordinator Sierra who watched me and witnessed my accident got "Promoted" and "Transferred" WTF? That is slap in my face and shows this company has no "MORALS"! And why, , , , , This garbage of an employee "ARCHIE MERLIN" is still employed? I have no choice left...Public media scrutiny is warranted. As a company you have let me down as an employee and most important "YOU HAVE LET THE CUSTOMERS" down ! Enough is enough !
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I'm currently on hold, while having tried to fill my prescriptions with a Pharmacist at Ygacio branch in Walnut creek California.

I am a thyroid cancer survivor, and therefore need this medication.

The pharmacist told me " I don't appreciate your tone" and proceeded to put me on perma hold.

I was very civil.

I normally try to call the other, very professional pharmacist.

This is not okay. This is not even the beginning of civil. I understand that HE is frontline, as I said to him.

This is lawsuit material.

He told me "you will pay full retail". I have health insurance.

My name is Anthony Nelson

I purchase a western union card at Safeway at this address 4100 redwood road Oakland ca, 94619 the card didn't work for some odd reason and my money was locked without no means of access to my funds I've been without the oil cash I only had during this coronaviruses 19 shutdown without food in housing.

I have been a customer customer since 1992 at the 21616 zip code Store.

Store has deteoriated since the present Store Manager arrived.

Yesterday, I was in the store to buy over $ 100 in groceries.

One of the items on a flyer for sale was mega pack 80% hamburger for $ 2.99 per # until end of business March 24

None was there>asked the Meat counter rep whom said it was sold out>he would not make me one>he directed me to customer service> CS Rep could not or would not help>I asked for the store manager> Rep called Manager whom relayed message>Message was no more left and would not issue raincheck

FYI, the Store proudly displays a plaque showing profit improvement of 186% for all customers to see.

This is not a good customer experience>I have no trust in your flyers> the Store Manager will not engage>Store will not honor Ad>Staff is not happy

I am not a satisfied customer !

My safeway # is [protected]

My cell # is [protected]

I had dealt with a worker at the Safeway Pharmacy(its in Stayton Oregon where I go to) that was rude to me two times now and one tim(just her no other worker has ever) over the phone was the first time(over the phone was rude because I misunderstood a name of pills she said and she got rude about it)and the second time was I told her (afer she said they are not ready)I was told yesterday(by 2 people)they (this was a hour before closing to)that to come back to day to get them because they would be ready and she got rude with me after by one saying I was here and there (she pointed to two places)and I didn't heir anything about your pills so I just let her know how long I was off them and she gets rude with me again, done it before and they tryed to work with me or see what could be done or why they where not done at the least and I asked around and see if I could be wrong but no every one I asked said yeah she was being rude.
She is a women that is heavyset (fat)and has really short hair too and I thank she maybe (at least she looks it but could be Spanish receiving not 100% sure) white /Caucasian the one with me at the time said she didn't have a name tage on her.

I do Political work for agriculture, I am disappointed in the placement of "Fake Meat" products in the "Fresh Meat " cooler let alone there is a USDA Choice sign right above it.

These products should either have a cooler of their own or be in the "Processed" cooler.

The agenda of these companies that produce this stuff have made no attempt at hiding their goal, for us to be a totally vegan society in 10 years.

Safeway is slapping the faces of Ranchers, Farmers and consumers by marketing these products like this.

I took pictures of this and have posted on social media. I love my local Safeway and shop there for all my grocery needs. I would be extremely supportive of Safeway if you change this marketing plan.

The cuts chosen for the kalbi marinated beef are very inconsistent and the marinade used tasted spicy and different than it normally does. Normally this location cuts the beef very consistently and the marinade gives the meat a very sweet flavor. This time was different and after buying so much, I feel like my money was wasted as none of my family members liked any of the changes.