Thought you might want to see Ralphs’ curt, impersonal response to my detailed letter 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.
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Marshall,
Thank you for your e-mail. It is our policy at Ralphs Grocery Company not to discuss Personnel issues with the public, as it is proprietary in nature.
Again, thank you for your thoughts.
Ralphs Customer Relations
Nancy Cicatelli, one of the two terminated employees, called us to thank us for our concern and, while devastated by what’s happened, is so heartened by the wonderful support she’s received by the Malibu community. For your information, we have joined Trudy Dieterle, an outraged long-time Malibu resident who’s lived here since the ’80’s, in designing a petition for their reinstatement, which will be available for signing in front of Ralphs and, possibly, in other Malibu locations.
I fondly recall, when I moved to Malibu from NYC six years ago, that my first experience with a local store was at Ralphs, then under its former name, Hughes. Having come from a city well-known for its impersonal, indifferent relationships between people, especially in stores where nobody seemed to have time or to care about their dealings with people, it was such a pleasure to go to Ralphs. I remember approaching the register with my goodies, a bit concerned that the clerks would spot me as not being a “local,” but Al, the longtime Afro-American clerk smiled at me and started an actual conversation. He said he had been with Ralphs for over 30 years and would soon retire and miss all the Malibu people he had gotten to know over those many years.
Ralphs should be a better corporate citizen and stand behind its own employees. Shame on you, Ralphs!
Larry and Joy Marshall