For those who wondered why PA liquor laws are different I got your answer (1 Viewer)

[DJackson10]

Wendall Young IV he's my Union president 1776. He also the Union rep of the State stores. Harrisburg was finally able to get one over on this guy a few yrs back to allow Grocery stores to start selling at the very least Beer/WIne (Not hard liquor like Whiskey, sherri, etc). Young's Father another Wendall and the family has been the Union Presidents of the Local for a very long time Young III the father was a lot better then the Son from people I talked. I'll post a link to a story about Wendall III after I post this. Young III died of cancer in 2013.  I got an email from yours truly yesterday (We get almost 1 or 2 a day from the union now whats going on) but this one had me cracking up. PA lawmakers will vote on possible new laws that will help Grocery stores for Beer wine sells such as approving higher amounts and limits to how much we can sell, Allow sales at ALL registers etc. Here's part of the email I got today. 

House Bills 327 and 1279 are expected to be brought up for a vote. They would do the following:

Allow grocery stores and restaurants to sell spirits for off-premise consumption.

Allow grocery stores to TRIPLE the amount of wine sold in a single transaction, going from 4 bottles to 12 bottles.

Allow grocery stores to sell alcohol at any register in the store, and place product anywhere within the store as well.

I find this highly concerning to your health and safety at your worksite for many reasons.

I want Acme Markets’ full and undivided attention on YOUR safety and implementing the new policies we have agreed to in order to reduce the risk of Covid-19 in your worksite. Nothing is more important right now and this should be their primary focus.

Allowing additional sales of alcohol in your store will create a consumer surge in your locations that is not needed!

Allowing alcoholic product anywhere in the store means ALL employees would now be responsible for policing large grocery stores, where alcoholic product anywhere could lead to additional shoplifting and underage theft. You do not need this added stress.

Allowing the sale of alcohol at any register means your employer would then have to scramble to get everyone state certified (RAMP training) so they legally would be able to sell alcohol. I want your employer focusing on safety policies with you, not selling alcohol.

Tripling the amount of wine sold in your store will mean more product to stock, clogging up sections of the store that sell alcohol and create further clutter. We need to more open areas of the store to keep you and your customers safe.

First paragraph yes he's done a lot there. Giant does not have a union and you can see the vast differences in our stores because of that. For that it's appreciative

His first in reasons why this shouldn't happen makes zero sense. For one I've learned this equation

More Customer + More money spent = More hours and better pay for the employees. What is wrong with this (Remember he also has to protect his state workers here) 

2 reason. Here I can see a point. Already have issues watching to make sure people don't steal. Yes thats added pressure. Underage has been an issue with stealing products but thats with a lot of stuff from HS kids in general. 

3. Ok there's reasons here. Not everyone is certified. There's people who refuse to take the test for whatever reason (We were told we can refuse to take the test) but I agree on training people. There's really no time to get this implemented unless we get a set date. 

4. Ok yeah more product to stock and why is he worried about more customers coming in. Yes we know this is all BS here because if we have people coming in buying alcohol that is more convent for them to shop at one store rather then make another stop at the state store. He's worried about the state employees which is where my Union president has always made his most money. He'll cave into his Grocery store employers on bennies and rights when it comes to contract time though. 

Heres a bit of backstory on his dad though 

Book shows what a political and Union Force Wendal Young III was back in the day  

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I find it more concerning that in the year 2020 we still in any state have any forms of Prohibition.

 

[Soulfly3]

since when did employees give a rats ### about shoplifting? why would that cause stress?

shoplifting is NO business of the grocery staff. you arent getting paid to stop criminals, you're paid to stock the shelf.

 

[Quint]

regarding point #3 (training): i just took the CA Responsible Pouring Seminar online (sounds exactly like the RAMP Training the PLCB mandates) and got my certificate in less than an hour. 

and weird: no mention of Distributors/Three Tier System by Wendal. 

 

[Dr_Zaius]

since when did employees give a rats ### about shoplifting? why would that cause stress?

shoplifting is NO business of the grocery staff. you arent getting paid to stop criminals, you're paid to stock the shelf.

Personal story, I worked part time at a grocery store during high school in the early 90's (same chain as Djax, actually).  One day I was bagging and a customer walked through the checkout area shoplifting some stuff.  Middle aged employee named Tony goes sprinting after him and actually tackles him in the parking lot    

Today that's probably a lawsuit or something.  At the time, my only reaction was that I couldn't believe how fast this old (to me), probably 50 pounds overweight guy was.  Dude closed the gap in a hurry.  

 

[belljr]

I find it more concerning that in the year 2020 we still in any state have any forms of Prohibition.

At least you can get it in a grocery store in PA.

I wish we could do that here. Granted we have 1 stop shop for all alcohol

However what pa has now is 1000 times better than before.

Ftr...I never wondered about PA liquor laws

 

[huthut]

since when did employees give a rats ### about shoplifting? why would that cause stress?

shoplifting is NO business of the grocery staff. you arent getting paid to stop criminals, you're paid to stock the shelf.

When I was 17 working at a large chain record store my manager wanted me to follow a group of like 8 guys who they thought were shoplifting. I never figured out what I was supposed to do if they were shoplifting, either way I was paid minimum wage, IDGAF. 

Also, I have always lived in a "wet" (hehe) state without alcohol restrictions, so if you want to buy 10 gallons of vodka at the grocery store knock yourself out. It always feels weird to make a separate stop at a liquor store when travelling, what is the point?

 

[JaxBill]

I always thought the answer was Quakers.

And dirty politicians.

 

[schlesinj]

A few years ago the Commonwealth considered privatizing liquor much like gambling, tobacco etc.  At some point it will be a way to provide upfront cash flow and more than likely an annual revenue to Commonwealth.  It is only a matter of time with Pension costs and economic issues continue to grow.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Also, I have always lived in a "wet" (hehe) state without alcohol restrictions, so if you want to buy 10 gallons of vodka at the grocery store knock yourself out. It always feels weird to make a separate stop at a liquor store when travelling, what is the point?

how is the LCB supposed to get its kickbacks and favors?

 

[DJackson10]

I find it more concerning that in the year 2020 we still in any state have any forms of Prohibition.

When I took my ramp training my supervisor for the class said most of PA State LCP laws many have not changed since prohibition ended 

 

[DJackson10]

since when did employees give a rats ### about shoplifting? why would that cause stress?

shoplifting is NO business of the grocery staff. you arent getting paid to stop criminals, you're paid to stock the shelf.

Yep for the most part it isn't. However I'm an employee who knows my career route is through my job so I might take that more seriously than others. I was telling my mom today he pretends to care about us grocery store people but his actions speak louder when he's asking us to call our reps to sabotage our own jobs basically for the better good of State stores

 

[DJackson10]

regarding point #3 (training): i just took the CA Responsible Pouring Seminar online (sounds exactly like the RAMP Training the PLCB mandates) and got my certificate in less than an hour. 

and weird: no mention of Distributors/Three Tier System by Wendal. 

This is more for Grocery stores here in PA 

 

[DJackson10]

Personal story, I worked part time at a grocery store during high school in the early 90's (same chain as Djax, actually).  One day I was bagging and a customer walked through the checkout area shoplifting some stuff.  Middle aged employee named Tony goes sprinting after him and actually tackles him in the parking lot    

Today that's probably a lawsuit or something.  At the time, my only reaction was that I couldn't believe how fast this old (to me), probably 50 pounds overweight guy was.  Dude closed the gap in a hurry.  

Funny as I had a Grocery manager in the mid 2000s (Started in 04) who's now a produce manager at ACME. He use to tackle shoplifter constantly. We had a serial purse snatcher in the area. One day he caught him Hockey checked him into a frozen door came right off and him and another employee held him down till the cops came. When the cops got there he said I placed him under Citizens arrest. Today he'd probably get sued 

I caught the license plate of a thief who we thought was stealing from us for months. Left the store with 5 12 packs of White Claws in her cart unpaid for. I caught a license plate and gave it to the cops. Cop who shows up is one of my regular customers 

 

[DJackson10]

When I was 17 working at a large chain record store my manager wanted me to follow a group of like 8 guys who they thought were shoplifting. I never figured out what I was supposed to do if they were shoplifting, either way I was paid minimum wage, IDGAF. 

Also, I have always lived in a "wet" (hehe) state without alcohol restrictions, so if you want to buy 10 gallons of vodka at the grocery store knock yourself out. It always feels weird to make a separate stop at a liquor store when travelling, what is the point?

Nothing just report back to the manager. They now have evidence of shop lifting. They can report them to the cops. If they come in again to the store you call the cops right away and they arrest them. That way they try and 2nd time you got probably cause for an arrest with evidence. 

 

[Pinkerton]

F U Gifford Pinchot!

 

[Quint]

This is more for Grocery stores here in PA 

sure. my point is that the actual training program goes beyond the responsibilities bartenders and servers have, and highlights the laws and obligations everyone who furnishes alcohol to the public faces. and it can be done in less than an hour in an online setting. 

 

[DJackson10]

sure. my point is that the actual training program goes beyond the responsibilities bartenders and servers have, and highlights the laws and obligations everyone who furnishes alcohol to the public faces. and it can be done in less than an hour in an online setting. 

I agree with that however to keep up and keep track of who has taken it will complicate things. Besides us in PA keeping track of customer limits in store and CDC guidelines plus the usual stuff most Store Directors have zero time to get everyone trained. Also in PA you have to be 21 to serve a patron in a grocery store where restaurants and bars you can be 18.