Monday, August 21, 2023

A Retail to Remember

Local 301 steward Lee Anne Stetson has weathered storm after storm at the North and West Lethbridge, Alberta, Save- On-Foods’ locations. From helping the company expand its reach further into Alberta and beyond, to the troubles associated with COVID-19, her story shows the evolution of retail work in Canada—and of CLAC itself

By Rachel Debling

SOMETIMES, THE DECISIONS WE MAKE on a whim can have long-lasting effects. For Lee Anne Stetson, a choice she made decades ago led her to career success she could have never imagined.

“In 1991, Save-On-Foods was coming to Lethbridge,” she recalls. “A girlfriend and I were sitting around having coffee and she said, ‘Hey, they’re hiring at this new store. Do you want to go apply?’ So, we went and applied and got hired.”

At that time, Lee Anne didn’t have a clue that this entry-level position at the grocery chain would lead to a career spanning more than 30 years, cross-country travel, and a stewardship journey that would culminate with her accepting an award of recognition in front of a crowd of hundreds at the 2022 National Stewards Conference in Banff, Alberta.

But it did.

NO ROLE HAS BEEN TOO BIG or too small for Lee Anne. Throughout her career, she has happily accepted challenge after challenge, mostly in the customer-facing division of the retail experience.

“I have done every job there is to do on the front end, from cashier to supervisor,” she says. “I also did a brief stint in receiving to cover a mat leave.

“Before I was at Save-On-Foods, I worked in customer service. I was assistant manager at a hotel, and I did a lot of similar jobs. That’s just what I’ve always done, so the transition was smooth.”

When she first started her career, Lee Anne had never heard of CLAC, as it was new in the retail industry in Alberta. But she soon became curious about its operations and wanted to become involved.

“I knew CLAC was different from a lot of unions,” says Lee Anne. “But the main reason I joined the union was because I considered becoming a steward a way to work together with management to ensure a fair and equal workplace for all team members, rather than just sitting in the background questioning things.”

In the time since she signed on as a Save- On employee, Lee Anne has seen the chain “expand like crazy” across Alberta. In recent years, she has had the good fortune of being selected to train team members in other provinces, affording her travel that she may not have otherwise experienced.

“When Save-On did their big expansion, I was at the majority of the new stores training cashiers,” she says. “I’ve gone all over Alberta and into Manitoba and Saskatchewan to help open stores. It was a great opportunity to meet and engage with team members from other locations, as well as other stewards and multiple head office personnel I would not have had the chance to get to know. From every new store opening I learned and have taken away new thoughts and ideas.”

THOUGH TRAVELLING CAN BE DEMANDING, as can the day-to-day routine on her store’s floor, Lee Anne doesn’t hesitate to name names when it comes to the most trying era of her career: the COVID-19 pandemic. “There were clashes with customers on a daily basis,” she remembers. “Especially in the beginning when the masks were going up, and nobody knew how to deal with it.

“During this time the public was not very understanding. Many team members went home exhausted and disillusioned with working retail and were being verbally abused for a situation that was completely out of our control.”

Those years tested Lee Anne’s patience, though her devotion to her stewardship never wavered. She sees it as more than a calling: her role is her way to make real, positive change in the workplace that her fellow members can see and feel.

“My job is to make sure that everyone is being treated fairly—to me, that’s an advantage,” says Lee Anne. “If you see something happening, you can help resolve it.

“With CLAC, I like the fact that we can sit down with management and talk about issues. Being a steward has helped me see both sides a little bit better.”

Of course, Lee Anne’s success is a testament to her work ethic and friendly personality, without which she would not have maintained such a high status within the Lethbridge North store and within the company. But she also makes sure to give credit where credit is due.

“Mike Montague [her CLAC representative] is a patient man,” she laughs. “I did challenge him sometimes. We don’t always agree on everything, but he’s willing to listen and go back and forth to understand my point of view. What he’s given me over the years has been invaluable.”

ANOTHER ASPECT OF CLAC Lee Anne appreciates, particularly during the tumultuousness of COVID-19, are the mental health supports offered to members.

“I’m a big advocate for mental health awareness,” she says. “I think the union has jumped on that bandwagon really well. I would love to see even more of it happen.”

The Mental Health First Aid course offered by CLAC was one that she found especially valuable.

“It helps you not be as reactive,” says Lee Anne. “When I have a customer walk up to me who is difficult, it makes it easier for me to go, ‘Okay. You have a lovely day. Thank you so much.’

“And it’s applicable to every sector. As a union, as a company, we need to work even harder at making sure people understand and know what bullying is and what harassment is. They hear things being said, and they think, ‘Well, it’s just a joke.’

“You don’t understand. It wasn’t just a joke to the other person.”

Looking ahead, Lee Anne doesn’t have any immediate plans to slow down or take a step back from her career. One thing that she makes sure to carve out time for, though, is family— and that includes a standing weekly date in her calendar.

“My youngest grandson is nine,” she gushes. “I’m on my own, I’m single, and he’s over here every weekend. On Fridays, he’s like, “Okay, what are our plans for the weekend?’

“And you know what? Until he’s not willing to do that, I love that that’s my life.”

A Retail to Remember

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