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Kraft Foods North America, Inc., Informative - Information On How Kraft Really Works When Not In The Consumers Eyes - Capri Sun Manufacturing
Capri Sun Manufacturing
WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA -- Kraft foods I have worked at the winchester va facility going on 16 years. Now all though we have changed are name a few times we have been Kraft foods for over a decade now and boy has it changed. Where there once was superior quality in are products there is now no quality. We have been cutting budgets on the floor dealing with blue collars the most. We cut everything we can to create more jobs for white collars who do nothing in this facility. We have in the last few years cut our cip steps which is cleaning in progress which cleans the machines so you do not get mold and other forms or spoilage in the product.
We now work more less 6 days a week do to having to change from a 7 day schedule because are employees are suing us for violating labor laws which I will get to in a minute, but are cleaning really don't really exist anymore only on shutting down after working 6 days in a row to do cip and boy you wouldn't believe the mold that builds up on these machines in six days, compared to when we use to clean a machine cip about every other day. This creates run time though which makes money the only thing Kraft cares about anymore. We use to have a operator of the capri sun machine watch the machine watching for all types of spoilage issues which you wouldn't believe you can have in just a few minutes if you are not watching to catch these issue's. Kraft has cut many jobs which help to achieve quality causing operators to have to deal with dumping their own slop and trash while machines run with no one watching quality which if a machine is running bad this operator could be away from the machine several times thru the night. Leaving this machine running spoilage issues right out to the public this does not get noticed on the books though because we make so much of this product so easy the numbers of complaints don't hurt because there is more volume that no one complains about.
We also do not worry about other issues anymore with quality we use to address wrinkle issues and other form of bad seals that can cause spoilage by getting are technicians to fix these fast before it came to a problem now a operator has to run no matter what as before we had the right to shut down till fix bad seals which means maybe weak or cracked letting air thru the seal can cause spoilage also which now if a tech can't fix which mostly happens every day on at least several machines as we run 23 the operator has to keep running this out the door and quality is nothing as this operator may only catch a few of these defects as he may be doing someone's else job that they done away with as dumping the trash which us to be contracted thru kelly or manpower which also goes into another job going away such as utilities on the back of the machines which use to also help quality by checking supplies that was being loaded into the machine now being replaced by kelly employees who are Spanish and have no clue about anything dealing with quality as most every Kraft employee can't speak Spanish which also causes many safety concerns as with are moving equipment we can't tell them what to do or not or let them know there is stuff going on they need to watch for.We have also been cutting down on are cost for materials as to making these products as cheap by making thiner such as pouch foil which they have this way to thin now causing light fills wrinkles all types of seal defects and damage to the pouch as it is being packaged I have never seen any place work with such careless efforts towards quality and all the jobs they have done away with has generated cheaper more jobs for the white collars who do nothing also giving them higher bonus and now word of 5 extra days off every 5 years as before all got treated the same as blue collars get treated as scum anymore working like slaves and every benefit a blue collar had is getting taken away as insurance and all the rules that the company had to protect these employees by making a handbook every year gets changed to benefit Kraft because virginia has a right to work law and if a employee stands up for herself she can get fired which leaves to the lawsuit that the employees are trying to get thru where winchester violated the blue collar civil rights by before the employees had to work seven days a week rotating shifts a employee would work seven days starting on Saturday day shift of 2 on Saturday and Sunday after working 2nd shift work Monday thru Friday off 5 days till Wednesday working Thursday thru next thursady another 7 days in a row every time we worked seven days in a row they made fall between two different weeks so it wouldn't look like we was working these in a row so they would not pay us time in a half for this time which was a federal law that they had to pay us when working over 40 hours in a seven day period this also hurt us even worse as with these hours between weeks even tho we worked well over 40 hours we barely even got a 30 hour pay check because on the books it looked as we hardly worked now since Kraft has got when that we know they changed this to a five day schedule as knowing we could never make the numbers as we did working seven days in a row we now have to work manatory overtime every day even if u volanteer to work for a emloyee during this time they will deduct time from the person who was on manatory overtime also because they can't use her even more trying to use the employees time up so they get less days off also since we make less now we work 6 days most of the year even though the employee is on a five day schedule the six day is also manatory overtime giving even less of a family life to these employees while a white collar barely even putts 40 hours in a week in as to Kraft advertising they care about people they don't care at all about blue collars and they will do anything they can to get these people to burn their time up or cause them hardships when coming to geting time off for illness or hardships in the familyies
We now work more less 6 days a week do to having to change from a 7 day schedule because are employees are suing us for violating labor laws which I will get to in a minute, but are cleaning really don't really exist anymore only on shutting down after working 6 days in a row to do cip and boy you wouldn't believe the mold that builds up on these machines in six days, compared to when we use to clean a machine cip about every other day. This creates run time though which makes money the only thing Kraft cares about anymore. We use to have a operator of the capri sun machine watch the machine watching for all types of spoilage issues which you wouldn't believe you can have in just a few minutes if you are not watching to catch these issue's. Kraft has cut many jobs which help to achieve quality causing operators to have to deal with dumping their own slop and trash while machines run with no one watching quality which if a machine is running bad this operator could be away from the machine several times thru the night. Leaving this machine running spoilage issues right out to the public this does not get noticed on the books though because we make so much of this product so easy the numbers of complaints don't hurt because there is more volume that no one complains about.
We also do not worry about other issues anymore with quality we use to address wrinkle issues and other form of bad seals that can cause spoilage by getting are technicians to fix these fast before it came to a problem now a operator has to run no matter what as before we had the right to shut down till fix bad seals which means maybe weak or cracked letting air thru the seal can cause spoilage also which now if a tech can't fix which mostly happens every day on at least several machines as we run 23 the operator has to keep running this out the door and quality is nothing as this operator may only catch a few of these defects as he may be doing someone's else job that they done away with as dumping the trash which us to be contracted thru kelly or manpower which also goes into another job going away such as utilities on the back of the machines which use to also help quality by checking supplies that was being loaded into the machine now being replaced by kelly employees who are Spanish and have no clue about anything dealing with quality as most every Kraft employee can't speak Spanish which also causes many safety concerns as with are moving equipment we can't tell them what to do or not or let them know there is stuff going on they need to watch for.We have also been cutting down on are cost for materials as to making these products as cheap by making thiner such as pouch foil which they have this way to thin now causing light fills wrinkles all types of seal defects and damage to the pouch as it is being packaged I have never seen any place work with such careless efforts towards quality and all the jobs they have done away with has generated cheaper more jobs for the white collars who do nothing also giving them higher bonus and now word of 5 extra days off every 5 years as before all got treated the same as blue collars get treated as scum anymore working like slaves and every benefit a blue collar had is getting taken away as insurance and all the rules that the company had to protect these employees by making a handbook every year gets changed to benefit Kraft because virginia has a right to work law and if a employee stands up for herself she can get fired which leaves to the lawsuit that the employees are trying to get thru where winchester violated the blue collar civil rights by before the employees had to work seven days a week rotating shifts a employee would work seven days starting on Saturday day shift of 2 on Saturday and Sunday after working 2nd shift work Monday thru Friday off 5 days till Wednesday working Thursday thru next thursady another 7 days in a row every time we worked seven days in a row they made fall between two different weeks so it wouldn't look like we was working these in a row so they would not pay us time in a half for this time which was a federal law that they had to pay us when working over 40 hours in a seven day period this also hurt us even worse as with these hours between weeks even tho we worked well over 40 hours we barely even got a 30 hour pay check because on the books it looked as we hardly worked now since Kraft has got when that we know they changed this to a five day schedule as knowing we could never make the numbers as we did working seven days in a row we now have to work manatory overtime every day even if u volanteer to work for a emloyee during this time they will deduct time from the person who was on manatory overtime also because they can't use her even more trying to use the employees time up so they get less days off also since we make less now we work 6 days most of the year even though the employee is on a five day schedule the six day is also manatory overtime giving even less of a family life to these employees while a white collar barely even putts 40 hours in a week in as to Kraft advertising they care about people they don't care at all about blue collars and they will do anything they can to get these people to burn their time up or cause them hardships when coming to geting time off for illness or hardships in the familyies
Comments:
Posted by BlueVelvetteer on 2007-11-01:
you forgot to mention all the good things the company does for us!! THE TURKEYS THE HAMS THE PARTIES THE BONUS! I guess im the only one with the nerve to even make a comment here!
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-11-01:
My son likes their mac & cheese.
Posted by FED UP!! on 2007-11-01:
No your not the only one with enough nerve...I'm here! I totally agree with everything you posted!! I also agree with BlueVelvetteer-the things the give us are nice. But save the dramma for your mama's and get realistic!! The parties are for the "front office" folk now. We are looked down upon for trying to have a good time,the bonus is great but not guaranteed...so don't even think of it! I am glad bill214 that you took the initiative to do this!! Maybe other employees will wake up and realize we have to stick together or it will all fall apart!!
Posted by Get a Grip on 2007-11-01:
If you're so unhappy do all of your co-workers a favor and QUIT!!! Take a McJob while you go back to school.
Posted by team winchester on 2007-11-02:
I have a few comments about Kraft-Winchester for both Bill 214 and FED UP!!!.
#1 If you have a problem with this facility you have a few choices. The first of which is to go to the appropriate person in management and discuss your issue. The second choice would be to terminate YOUR OWN employment.
#2 Bob Jones! This man has had an extemely rough past year! How dare either of you make such rude comments about the man! I think that you are the most incompassionate person that I have ever worked with! And if you have been here that long we all have worked with each other at one time or another. There are always going to be people that you dont like that you work with, no matter where you go. To name names....thats really low!
#3 This facility has always changed and will forever change, some call it progress. With the economy the way it is...we are not the only facility or company changing. Be thankful that you have your job. We have always changed, got stressed, faced the change and went on about business and we always end up on the top. Remem
I may not always like my job or some of the people I have to work with but I will not disrespect my co-workers. I have the utmost respect for Mr. Jones and what decisions he makes. He has to follow corporate rules too.
Have a Wonderful day TEAM WINCHESTER!
(Hopefully this one will spread through the facility as fast as the negative one did!)
#1 If you have a problem with this facility you have a few choices. The first of which is to go to the appropriate person in management and discuss your issue. The second choice would be to terminate YOUR OWN employment.
#2 Bob Jones! This man has had an extemely rough past year! How dare either of you make such rude comments about the man! I think that you are the most incompassionate person that I have ever worked with! And if you have been here that long we all have worked with each other at one time or another. There are always going to be people that you dont like that you work with, no matter where you go. To name names....thats really low!
#3 This facility has always changed and will forever change, some call it progress. With the economy the way it is...we are not the only facility or company changing. Be thankful that you have your job. We have always changed, got stressed, faced the change and went on about business and we always end up on the top. Remem
I may not always like my job or some of the people I have to work with but I will not disrespect my co-workers. I have the utmost respect for Mr. Jones and what decisions he makes. He has to follow corporate rules too.
Have a Wonderful day TEAM WINCHESTER!
(Hopefully this one will spread through the facility as fast as the negative one did!)
Posted by radioactivebeacon on 2007-11-02:
What good would it really do to complain to management? All we are in their eyes are numbers anyway. All The top people care about is one thing,Getting that product out they don't care how many jobs are getting redefined,or how many people are getting reduced, or how many hours we work,because in the end management doesn't lose pay or time with their families. So really what good would complaining do? To be worked like a dog complain and then be criticized about complaining? Yes that really shows off Team Winchester.
Posted by rabbit325 on 2007-11-02:
All of this crying on the internet isn't going to solve anything. Why not bring all of your problems up to the front office, or talk about it during success sharing meetings. We have one of those once a month and we are asked for any bi+c#s, moans, or gripes. All you are doing is hanging our dirty laundry out before the world. None of these internet people are going to solve your issues. If you are too cowardly to bring these issues up at work, where they can be resolved, then just leave! Nothings keeping you here except a check, and OUR (note the spelling) TEAM doesn't need that kind of person on it. So stop this Bloging and stand up for your selves on the job like men, or shut up and leave. Written by Dan And Scott in the pouchroom. Note: We are not afraid of saying what we think but since we do not know who you are we had to do it this way!
Posted by Team Winchester 1 on 2007-11-02:
I have been at Kraft for six years, don't tell me you can't shut down a machine that you are having issues with. That is your responsibility as an operator. As far as cutting cost, it is a companys duty to it's shareholders and employees to make a profit, show me a company that does not cut to increase profit, no profit means no jobs. Winchester has made cuts but every effort has been made to effect as few people as possible. As for working like dogs, get real it's not a daycare it's a job. It is your duty to do the best you can. As for HR there door is always open to anyone I have never had a problem with getting answers or help with a situation of any kind. You can talk to anyone from plant manager to buisness unit manager to HR coordinator and facilitators in confidentiality. One more thing if you are that unhappy Quit get out. What kind of person would stay where they do not like where they work. Or would make accusations without using their real name.(cowardly) Kenny A-Crew KAB
Posted by caprisunman63 on 2007-11-02:
I cannot believe all the whining and complaining I've been with Kraft many years sure there has been change some good some bad but you must adapt and change with the circumstances you are confronted with take a negative and turn it into a positive I would like to address to accusations of the non compliance to the strict sanitation policies that KFNA implements it sets forth such stringent CIP guidelines which is reflected in every audit and inspection that is done by KFNA We at Kraft have a marvelous record in all categories which would explain our high ratings which reflects our very generous success sharing payout With the state our economy is in at present we should all be grateful to be working for a major player in the food industry which i believe at this moment is ranked number one globally In closing i would like to say that over the years KFNA has provided myself and my family a comfortable standard of living i have some years to go but plan to retire when the time comes Thank You Kraft Foods
Posted by sirmixedupalot on 2007-11-03:
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.'ABE LINCOLN' HARD WORK spotlights the character of people,some turn up their sleeves,some turn up there noses and some don't turn up at all.bill214,THIS IS NOT THE VENUE TO DISCUSS MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.SHAME ON YOU.WE MAKE DRINKS THAT KIDS LOVE.miles r. warehouse 2nd shift.
Posted by bill214p on 2008-03-30:
I think I need to respond to all of the negative remarks that came from the individuals who posted the comments regarding Kraft Winchester. First of all the employees at the factory have no clue as to how things need to be run and how they are being run. For years the employees were being cheated out of their overtime until "someone mysteriously wrote a letter to the company pointing this out" and now all of a sudden we were put on five day working shifts and it was made to look as if someone in human resources done this one their own to better the company----which is total bull this was done to cover their ass. As to the comment that someone needs to stop whining on the internet and go to the people in charge. Come on people give me a break you know as well as anyone that if you work at Kraft Winchester there is no close door privacy and there is no confidentiality. Obviously, if they are up against having a million dollar lawsuit filed due to their violation of the fair standard labor act going to the front office would never help as they would want to get the employee out of the factory as soon as possible so they would not have to deal with the situation or pay the money which is owed. Everyone knows what goes on with everyone else in the factory. If anyone at the factory goes to the so call "people in charge" there will not be anything done and they would do whatever they could to get you fired. This is someones personal opinion and if some people don't like it then they don't have to read it. This company is based on who you know and not what you know. Certain people CAN go into HR and make a complaint and something is done but other people who just want to work and are not in the "click" have no chance. If everything is so great then why is moral so low in the factory and if you think that everything is great then obviously you are one of the people in the so called "click" and have no common sense as to how a business should be ran or how people should be treated. Just reading these comments it does come across somewhat rude but these are the straight facts and it sounds as if someone has put alot of time into this factory and they keep hoping that things will turn around for the better and hopefully someone in charge will read these comments and have the balls to make the necessary changes and help the employees to get the money and respect that they so deserve.
Posted by bill214p on 2008-03-30:
I think that times are hard and that people should stand up for themselves .Writing these things on the internet about that facility really might not get things resolved that is a thing I'm sure everyone must know ,but it really comes down to these simple facts it really seem to sound like they exist .Often sounding in the negative as most factories do now a days I'm sure that Kraft foods do try to work with people when they are confronted as this surely is their job. But as the people at Kraft really need to realize is that what the employee had stated seems to be a real concern that the people really need to know .If they were breaking a law as bad as a federal law such as the Fair Labor Standards Act A company as big as Kraft Foods will be in denial all the way to the end with this being such a big deal as it sounds it will take "People Knowing " to get those employees that have been neglected their Overtime Wages that has so long not been reported. It is great to hear employees taking up for this company.This will happen ,but as I have read these reviews and it sounds to me as this employee has and does respect this company .But you have to look at other sides also those employees who have been taken advantage of their Civil Rights deserve their Loss Wages .It would be a great thing to get these employees what they should have had for years ,this would be very hard as Kraft would be a big company with lots of money .This is sad as it may sound is a world that seems to only survive with money and as Kraft has it it could take in many places even as you guess the Federal government as I know this of other stories .If these facts aren't being put out to the Public it will be hard to not get cases such as these swept under the rug .It is fine if those employees wanna take up and give the company back their wages "Those " meaning the ones that write commenting about the Big one posted ,but I'm am very sure lots of the other employees really would like their money and to feel that someone had stood up for Their Rights.as the posting said those employees shifts changed shortly after this was acknowledged as surely Kraft realized they was "Busted".I'm sure if the employee who had stood up for these employees went into the HR office and said this the employee would have been lied to in every means about what was going really going on. They would surely like too nip this in the bud fast .And with Virgina being a Right To Work State the employee could easily be fired for any reason and if they filed suit this could easily be slept under the rug .
Posted by ejryle on 2008-07-28:
I know what you say is true...As a consumer of Kraft products specifically caprisuns I am very displeased with the way such a huge company handled a problem I had with a box of capri suns. I bought a box of caprisuns about 3 months ago and my 6 year old daughter brought it to me to taste. It tasted terrible, like a strong chemical or something. I called Kraft and they sent someone to pick the product up There were only 3 left in the box and my 4 year old daughter had been throwing up for 3 days, she had been the only one to drink the others in the box. They finally sent me a letter today and said there was a foreign pink colored substance in the pouch and a fermented smell. It turned out to be mold, but offered no explanation as to where it may have come from or what type of mold it was. I will be contacting the fda tomorrow. I think they may be hoping I don't press the issue further. They sent me a bunch of coupons...like I really want to be buying their product with the way they seem to not be handling the issue. The letter was obviously a form letter and didn't even make much sense. I hope you do get improved working conditions and the respect you deserve, because you obviously are one of the few that actually cares about the producy you're manufacturing.
Posted by panda8 on 2009-02-09:
to bill214; IF YOU DONT LIKE THE WAY TEAM WINCHESTER IS THEN YOU NEED TO MOVE ON.WHY DO YOU STAY WITH KRAFT IF YOU ARE SO UNHAPPY THERE/GET A LIFE AND MOVE ON
Posted by panda8 on 2009-02-09:
TO SIRMIXEDUPALOT; YOU TELL THEM LIKE IT IS BABY IM RIGHT THERE WITH YOU
Posted by Anonymous on 2009-02-09:
Posted By: bill 214 on 10/28/2007!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Julanne03 on 2009-06-30:
I actually have an ongoing issue with Kraft @ the moment. we purchased a box of kiwi strawberry capri suns and the damn thing was riddled with foregin debris looking like chicken or fish. Quite disgusting! YUCK
Posted by CapriSun_no_Sun_there on 2010-06-10:
Why doesn't someone call the news or the Food & Drug Administration? Krafts standards are terrible, if not nonexistant
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