Selling alcohol to underage minors is and should be a serious violation of the law. This is not what happened at the Ralphs market on Nov. 23, the weekend prior to Thanksgivng. The firing of Harry McDermott and Nancy Cicatelli, the hard working, dedicated employees for what transpired on that November day is nothing more than an outrage. Assuming that all of the facts of this situation, which were contained in your article, were accurate, Mr. McDermott and Miss Cicatelli are guilty of nothing more that just being in a hurry.
As your article indicated these Pepperdine students had purchased beer previously to that day and had been carded numerous times using their fake IDs. Mr. McDermott and Miss Cicatelli are not experts in spotting fake ID., and if they were, these underage persons would have never been able to purchase any alcoholic beverages. My question, then, is to the Ralphs policy makers. Why is there no place in your zero tolerance policy for extenuating circumstances such as these? Just because a law enforcement agency, and in this case, Alcoholic Beverage Control (A.B.C.), cited all parties in this matter, should Mr. McDermott and Miss Cicatelli be held accountable? My position on this is: absolutely not! Whatever happened to justice? Whatever happened to reason? Jurisprudence will be served when Mr. McDermott and Miss Cicatelli appear in the Malibu criminal court on Christmas Eve. The judge will more than likely throw their cases out so far out to sea that they probably will hit Catalina.
I have already let known my feelings of this situation to numerous Malibu residents and they all agree that Ralphs is over-reacting by firing these two hard working cashiers. You want to blame someone? Blame these students for putting these Ralphs employees in such a position. Blame the individuals that are responsible for the making of false IDs. Blame Pepperdine security for allowing students to drink on campus.
I would like to advise Ralphs management that if Mr. McDennott and Miss Cicatelli are not reinstated prior to Christmas, I have spent my last dollar in a Ralphs market.If any of your readers are as outraged as I am, why not give the Ralphs Store Operations a call at 1-888-437-3496 or write to Ralphs Store Operations 1100 West Artesia Blvd, Compton, Ca 90220.
Peter Haynes
Dupers deserve blame
Thanks for a very sharply worded editorial on the Ralphs situation. We both agree with you and stand behind you 100%. We’ve also just sent an e-mail to Ralphs management and HR director, imploring them to be compassionate and make an exception about these two long-term employees who’ve diligently worked for so many years on behalf of the citizens of this community. Such harsh punishment for them is unconscionable especially in these circumstances of having been duped by these students. Pepperdine should have acknowledged this situation and should have immediately tried to set things straight. It’s called Crisis Communications 101. But it failed to do so.
Ralphs should be a better corporate citizen and stand behind its own employees. Shame on you, Ralphs!
Larry and Joy Marshall