Tougher Liquor Policy at Ralphs

A single liquor sale to a minor will cost checkout clerks their jobs at one of Southern California’s largest grocery chains, beginning next month.

Under a new policy at Ralphs Grocery Co., any checker who sells alcohol to an underage buyer, even unintentionally, will be terminated immediately, rather than receive a written warning.

“Ralphs wants to take a stand that we will not tolerate alcohol sales to minors,” said corporate spokesman Terry O’Neil.

“This policy does not ask anything more of employees than we have in the past.”

The new policy does, however, hold employees responsible for any fines or penalties levied against Ralphs in connection with alcohol sales to minors. Checkers claim the new policy is an attempt by the chain to shirk its corporate responsibility while making money from liquor sales.

They fear that fake identification or miscalculation in age could cost them their jobs. Officials with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 said the policy appears to violate their collective bargaining agreement with the company because it does not take into account the circumstances of each incident.

O’Neil said if there are extenuating circumstances, the company may examine individual cases, but only after the employee is terminated.

“We understand they need to obey the law,” said Kathy Finn, coordinator of collective bargaining for Local 770. “The problem is, they’re doing it at the expense of our members.”