Wal-Mart store tells workers to be ready to work any shift or be fired.

[cyberpj]

Wal-Mart store tells workers to be ready to work any shift

NITRO, W.Va. (AP) — Workers at a West Virginia Wal-Mart (WMT) store have been ordered to be available to work any shift at any time or face dismissal.

(snip)
Workers who cannot commit to being available for any shift between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week, will be fired by the end of this week. The store employs more than 400 workers.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2005-06-15-walmart-shift_x.htm?POE=MONISVA

[Occulus]

1. Ok, and where are the employer apologists?

You know, the trolls who think an employer should "be able to run their business however they want."

Wal-Mart is acting like it owns these people.

[Deja Q]

33. Too busy working for them?

It's obviously their kind of company.

[havocmom]

2. Since they pay shit and keep most employees at less than full time hours

a lot of employees probably hold other jobs too. So they are now making THAT impossible? Sinking people further into the mire of poverty. Also prevents employees from going to school to improve themselves and their chances to get out of the grip of poverty.

I have screamed for over two decades that Corporations want America to become a third world nation. Walmart is leading the charge.

[Warpy]

9. Not only are they making other jobs impossible

they're also making child care arrangements impossible.

My guess is that this policy won't last very long. They'll not only lose people with children and people who hold other jobs to make ends meet, they'll start losing people to illness. You just can't expect a human being to reset his internal clock on a daily basis and expect him to stay healthy. It just doesn't work that way.

[cyberpj]

22. This should help

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[jody]

3. Wal Mart workers, their families, and customers may as well get

accustomed to life under a government of the corporations, by the corporations, for the corporations.

[cyberpj]

24. This should help

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. That looks great

Can't wait to see it.

[jody]

40. Thanks for the link. n/t

[Bob3]

4. God Bless America

does go for the manager of the store as well?

[cyberpj]

39. For the freedom to make movies like these:

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

And when has employee policy ever applied to supervisors and managers?

[cyberpj]

42. -

[sam sarrha]

5. At Boeing on a Thur we were told on Mon that we started 12/7 for 6 months

and if any one for any reason didn't show up for the 12 hour 7 day shift, no excuses.. kids/school/prepaid vacations/ etc they would be fired.. one Mexican woman with 9 kids said she had to take her kids to sitters and 2 schools and pick them up.. the supervisor said.. "Then you need to check in your tool box to Supply on the way out Friday, because if you come in late in Monday you will not have a job..and they will not allow you to enter the building"

and considering 'Boeing' that was actually quite civil of them.

[gizmo1979]

12. Isn't Boeing union?

If so how could they possibly get away with this.although there is a provision in our contract about emergency situations.

[sam sarrha]

16. Boeing El Paso Texas is their only non union shop.. but if it had been,

they would still be in buisness there.. they lost nearly all their contracts.. had it been a Union shop.. the workers would have had a voice to the Company about the Bullshit Managers F'n everything up and losing contracts.. they would still be in business.. and i would still be working there..

[gizmo1979]

45. You are absoulutely right.

I'm in the Uaw and the one thing I've noticed is it cuts down on the games that management plays.You know the stupid rules,stupid hrs crap like that.I'm very happy to be a union memeber!

[jmm]

6. So Sam Walton could teach Sunday school but

now employees in the company he founded can't take their children to it. Somehow I feel Walmart's most conservative supporters won't care abut the irony.

[HeeBGBz]

60. Walmart turned evil after Sam died

Remember how the products used to be American made?

[bettyellen]

7. Not only am I not ever going....

I'm yelling at my friend tonight for going there. During her party. Rrrrr.

Are there any limits to this right ot work bullshit? Jeeze, it's so fucked!

[cyberpj]

26. I do that! I have a good friend who still says,

"but their so CHEAP" when I yell at him for shopping there - AND he's a huge liberal, ex-hippie, power to the people person!!


This should help us:
http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[bettyellen]

46. great little link....

i'll send it instead of ranting tonight!

[napi21]

51. Is the walmart movie different than the one on Frontline?

I kinda tricked my husband into watching the Frontline story of Walmart, I think it was called "Is walmart Good for America?"

We've actually gotten into arguments when he insists on going into one of those nasty stores. Never spent much, but he insisted they had the birdfood he wanted, and the only place he could buy whole cobs of dry corn for the squirrels.

After watching the Frontline show, he didn't say much, but the next day, he said, OK, you're right, I'm not going back there.

[cyberpj]

57. Yes, this one's different and (I think) it's still in the making -

check out the site to be sure.

It's also by the same guy that made OutFoxed and a couple of other good documentaries about what's going on these days.

I tried to catch the Frontline show but missed it. They'll probably repeat it.

[vogonjiltz]

8. Bastards...

How do people expect to have a life in these sorts of conditions. As an earlier poster noted and I agree with, this is a way for WalMart to prevent their employees from improving themselves and making marketable to other companies or for promotion in the WalMart organization. I would be willing to bet that Wal Mart allows it's managerial employees time off for classes and so forth.

[bleedingheart]

10. they should all walk off the jobs...their ancestors had more sense

West Virginians organized unions in the coal region...they fought hard and many died....and now they are going to take this shit from a Red China Retailer???

[cyberpj]

19. Unions. Isn't that a nice memory? Did you see how fast Walmart pulled

it's store in Canada when they organized a union.

They can afford to just close it down and move somewhere else.

I won't shop there, ever, but I am concerned about what will eventually happen to the workers.

This should help:

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[cyberpj]

20. -

[bleedingheart]

34. I say let them leave...they are nothing but a bunch of vampires.

[noamnety]

11. I hope they manage to organize a protest

union or not, the people in that community need to get off their butts and picket that store. Not just the people that work there, but the whole community.

The entire store should be shut down by activists. If I were local, I'd be making my signs now.

[cyberpj]

27. This should help

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[Orangepeel]

13. let's hope that backfires

hopefully, they'll only be able to push their employees so far before they unionize.

[cyberpj]

29. Did you see how fast Walmart closed it's store in Canada for unionizing?

It was amazing.

[Orangepeel]

41. yes. they've been very effective in stopping unionization

I'm hoping they push it too far. They can't operate without employees, so they don't have all the power if workers stick together.

[killbotfactory]

14. Don't worry, if they don't like it they can get a new job!

This economy is booming and the sky's the limit!

[cyberpj]

30. It's a good thing I can sense your sarcasm, even without the smilie...

Sometimes I just want to scream though.

Hopefully, Greenwald's new movie will help:

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[CityDem]

15. I went into a Wal Mart for the first time

Had to use their bathroom really bad. Walked in, took care of business and left without buying a thing.

[sam sarrha]

17. where i come from they are affectionately called 'Wally World'..

[cyberpj]

Good 4 U...shoulda taken all the paper towels you could carry too!

This should help get the word out:
http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[Joacheme Misrahe]

47. Wow good for you

So one of their 5.15/hr employees can come clean it up. Or did you think the CEO was going to do it? Way to show your support for the working class.

[CityDem]

54. Didn't make a mess

Why are you so uptight? I didn't make a mess when using the facilities and didn't abuse some $5.00 an hour employee. The mess I made in their rest room was far less than the eyesore the exec's at Wal Mart created in our community.

[Richard Steele]

18. It's also a method to keep employees ISOLATED, like a cult.

Disrupt their social interactions outside of "the job"; part of keeping them docile.

Disrupting a person's internal clock is a classic brainwashing tool.

[cyberpj]

21. By the way -- has everyone heard about Greenwald's Walmart Movie?

This should help.

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

[BiggJawn]

23. And this is diferent from most other low-pay jobs HOW?

Let's tar Mickee-Dee's, any factories that might be left ("Yer going on Days next week." "But I have classes!" "Tough. Shit.") and the TV station I worked at where I worked 9 on/9 off AND was on call for transmitter emergencies during the off time, too.

Not to make excuses for the Evul Empire here, but if this had been about ANY other employer than Wally-World, would it have EVEN been posted?

I didn't think so.

[cyberpj]

35. You have a valid point.

My only hope is that Walmart is so big and getting so much attention for what it's doing that if we can focus on them and demand changes then those changes will spread.

Between you and me, I've had a grudge of my own about all the companies that were giving so many "family" benefits as far as time off and flex time and on-site day care. It's the decent thing to do but where were they when I was in need?

In the 70's I was told, "you should be prepared for sick children and have backup care ready". Yeah, that wasy real fun to hear as a single Mom with no family around. I actually lost one better paying job as a computer operator because I couldn't work the night shift when they changed to round the clock coverage because of my child.

So - just because something's happening everywhere, doesn't make it right and we have to tackle it somewhere.

[flygal]

38. I don't believe they would have fired them

I've worked many min wage jobs and never been given such an ultimatum.

[BiggJawn]

55. Wish I could say the same.

Really, if there's no fear of dismissal, why would anyone put up with that shit. I've worked a LOT of jobs, and even some of the non-minimum wage jobs would use "You work the shifts we need you or you don't work here" as an incentive to get their way.

Here in Indiana they call it "Employment at Will" which means "Fire your Ass on a Whim".

[recoveringrepublican]

44. I use to do scheduling for Taco Bell

and let me tell you this is NOT the case, at least at the store I worked at. We had a day shift, which consisted of adults...teens and college students started coming in around 3-4pm. I was told to make accommodations as much as possible. The only ones who had to have a flexible schedule was management, and being management myself, while in nursing school, I had no problems with my bosses when it came to needing certain hours free.

[Nikia]

49. It was the same when I worked at fast food

One of the benefits of fast food was the scheduling. During the day, several of the workers were working parents who wished to work while their children were in school. Some were retirees who were morning inclined. The teenagers generally worked in the evening and on weekends. Some people had other jobs and they were scheduled so that they would not be late for either job. Some people, over the course of employment, shifted their hours.
Mangement and management candidates were generally expected to work any shift, but the few that had other committments, like other work or school, were not scheduled during those times.

[BiggJawn]

56. Well, wasn't like that in Fast Food 30 years ago.

You'd work lunch rush 3 days, then maybe off 2, then close a few days, and MAYBE get called in on your day off to cover a no-show, then 5 days of swing shift...

Then a whole NEW routine next week. They did that at MD, a pizza joint I worked at, and a few other hash-slinging gigs.

And the gas station I worked at. The Sadist who managed it might get a bug up his ass and work you round the clock for a few weeks. 8-5 one day, 5-midnight the next, midnight-8 the third day, rinse, lather, repeat.

[recoveringrepublican]

61. Like I said, maybe it was just that store

but I've worked retail also. TJ Maxx and Kmart. I had a set schedule at TJ Maxx and a semi set schedule at Kmart. Before I was hired at any job I was asked what hours I was available to work. Both told me what hours they were hiring for. There were set shifts. TJ Maxx I worked m-th 9-5, Saturday was 11-7. Kmart I didn't have the same days off, but I worked the same hours and always had Sunday off and always knew I was working Sat, so if I had kids it would have been easier to plan childcare, or if I had a second job I would always know that no matter what day I was working I would be free at certain times.

[progressivebydesign]

53. You're absolutely right, BiggJawn.. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. What about the fundies?

They have church time on Sunday and some on Wed night.

[brokensymmetry]

31. There is some good in this.

Those people have got to be seething inside. This sounds like a good opportunity to recruit some fire breathing Democrats for the upcoming 2006 election.

I may go shopping at Wally World this afternoon. I didn't say I'd buy anything...but maybe I can talk to a few employees as I walk around.

I'll shower later.

[cyberpj]

36. You're fabulous! And have inspired me to do the same. This can help:

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

Have them submit some stories - photos - whatever.....

[CAG]

32. It will take more stories like these for the workers to gain

enough outrage and strength to unionize

[cyberpj]

37. Maybe this movie will help turn the tide.

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[cyberpj]

43. LOOK FOR.....THE UNION LABEL........... Anyone remember that song?

What we need is to raise consciousness about BUY AMERICAN.

Wouldn't it be great is small store owners and crafters were able to start a new movement?

Oh yeah - then we're just isolationists and BAD for global everything.

[SouthernDem2004]

48. Hmmm, I have always worked this way. Welcome to my hell. /nt

[Nikia]

50. Are their scheduling people lazy?

As I understand it, most Walmart employees work part time. Most low wage work has somewhat fast turnover. If they have a hard time getting people to work on weekends and evenings, they should advertise and hire specifically for people willing to work evenings and weekends. If further down the line, they have a shortage of day people during the week, then they can hire specifically for people for that shift. It doesn't take a genius.

[progressivebydesign]

52. That happens in all industries.. I hate Walmart.. but...

can't really scream about that. I know of numerous jobs, and have had numerous jobs with the same rule. It's called RETAIL.

[smartvoter]

58. WTF? This is outrageous. Hope this gets management fired. nt

[GoldenOldie]

59. Unbelievable - Just like the military requirement of having to be on call

unless they are on authorized Leave. I wonder if they are allowed potty breaks, Doctor visits, etc., while at home, and do they get scheduled vacation time?

Their employees are not only required to work within oversized trash bins, with sound systems continually blaring the monotonous l WalMart propaganda, but now they are being controlled while at home.

I know understand why the support Bush. They all went to the same school of arrogance.