An update of our coalition mission

I came to the conclusion that Katherine only came to work on the days she was especially pissed about something personal.  That way, when she got to work, she could take it out on someone (everyone) and then of course, only stay until she'd gotten over whatever it was...Something I can't understand is why CSMs think that being rude to us is going to actually help them out in the long run. When they don't stress us out, we don't make mistakes.  When we don't make mistakes, they don't have as many problems to stress about! So ultimately, by mistreating the cashiers and staff, they are making their own jobs harder...Welcome to Walmart !... ANYWAY, after seeing Katherine at the customer service desk, I prepared myself for the impending browbeating about any of the following: wearing a red jacket over my uniform shirt, bringing a bag to carry my cashier-crap to the register, not having my own sale ads, being 30 seconds late clocking in, etc.  And to my utter shock-NOTHING.  I didn't actually notice her unusual behavior until later that night though.  A coworker, the one who used to manage a car dealership, said he'd gone all day without a single put-down from Katherine!  Another coworker said she had actually received compliments from her. That's when the light bulb went off-I hadn't been criticized all day either!  The coworker, Noah* gave me a high five all of a sudden. Our plan must have worked, we figured.  I mentioned that I'd never been told whether the claims I filed had been handled, despite being issued a case # after submitting. Noah explained that they couldn't tell me if it was being handled or not, as it was a possible privacy intrusion or something.  I was thrilled at the thought that we finally got some use out of the open-door policy Walmart clings to like a life preserver.  Of course, I guess I'll never know for sure, but it does seem like there's been an improvement from Katherine.  

KILL CONFIRMED.

If anyone feels hesitant to use the open-door policy, I don't blame you. You never know who your managers are connected to, and it's possible the manager you just entrusted with a complaint is actually really good friends with the person you are complaining about.  And, of course, from there, it only backfires.  But, we, me especially, simply went to the Ethics concerns site, and submitted the same claim literally every single day.  A week later, the 5+ of us making the claims started to get a shred of justice.

A better day 11/10/12

I worked swing shift, and there was honestly nothing particularly great about today, until about 9 PM.  The floors were being waxed, stupidly beginning at 7 PM when we were slammed with customers.  By deciding to clean the floor at this time, we were all forced off most of the registers so the area could be roped off.  I remember looking up, not realizing I'd been working so hard I was ready to collapse.  That's when I saw why I was so exhausted.  There was a grand total of 3 registers open , and each line was overflowing with customers.  I started to worry about the possibility of us all being blocked in the store if a fire or something broke out.  We'd be trapped behind the tangle of customer's carts, created by their lack of space to put them while the floor was cleaned.  When I was finally relieved for my break, the cleaning process had taken over so much of the front end, that there were less available registers than there were cashiers working.  A couple of us walked around aimlessly, even the CSMs not knowing what to do with us.  That's when my day  got really good. Molly* (the CSM who always stood up for me and recommended me for customer service) said "Why don't we let Reagan* go up to there?" pointing to the desk.  I smiled hugely, looking a damn fool, I'm sure.  Cora* an especially bitchy (part-time) CSM tried to say "We'll see how it goes.." And for no good reason, too, other than to insist on disappointing me. But, she couldn't argue, considering all the registers were taken or unavailable.  The next 3 hours of my shift were heaven.  I don't know what it is, besides the nicer foam mats, the mini-fridge, and the ion fan back there, but I just love working back there.  I would probably never complain about any employees or procedures if I got to more often.  Of course, that's just like wishing for million dollars...Never gonna happen!

11/03/2012 The Public Scolding/Price match hell

There was a severe shortage of front-end staff today. Three CSMs called in sick, leaving just one, and Katherine, the Zone Supervisor forced to come in as a result.  Upon arrival I could almost feel the aura of her negative energy in the building.  I  immediately set to work, and I worked hard, too, knowing how it feels to wait forever in line while the cashier drags along as slow as possible.  A man came with a cart full of items to be price matched.  Since the customer is not required to bring the ads, I would have to wait for the store copy to be delivered to the register by a CSM. I called repeatedly to no avail, for them.  I had two choices: wait another good 10 minutes for a CSM, or just ring up his items and get the already outrageously long line moving.  As I had an IPH score of over 600 to maintain, and I couldn't stand to see the customers waiting miserably in line any longer, I rang up the items.  A customer can price match up to $50 off their total before we have to have a CSM approve the purchase.  Unfortunately, he'd reached this amount, and I'd now have to hold up the line no matter what I did.  Several minutes passed, before the only CSM on duty arrived and entered her password, approving his purchase.  She then printed a duplicate receipt, and I knew exactly what that meant-I'd get chewed out over the price matches I'd given later on in the day.  And to no surprise at all, Katherine appeared about an hour later to reprimand me for it.  I tried explaining that I had no choice, before realizing where she and I were having this talk-right in front of customers at the register! She actually felt it was appropriate to criticize me in public, instead of somewhere private including only her ears and mine.  I felt my fury rise up about this, as she continued.  I gritted my teeth as I told her I DID call them to bring me the ads, and they never came.  Her answer was that I will need to start bringing my own copies from home.  I told her I didn't have daily newspapers delivered. She said to ask my neighbors or a family friend then. In reality, this was a lie.  My parents did get a daily paper that I could easily bring to work.  However, why should I have to go out of my way to bring my own ads?  If Walmart expects us to price match, then they need to provide us with the necessary tools to do so.  Besides, cashiers have to buy enough stuff for work as it is. I have to purchase: pens, lotion, a fan, batteries, calculator, gloves, and sanitizer, since none of these necessities are provided to us.

11/02/2012 The much overdue lunch break

Tonight, I was doing fine, the last night, I was offered a few more hours, meaning I would get a lunch, not to mention more pay.  I was supposed to take my lunch at 10:30, four hours after my shift started.  When that time rolled around, I was knee-deep in customers, and guessed had their been an evacuation, we'd all be trapped, due to all the carts and people blocking exits and all aisles in sight.  To top it all off, I was apparently the only cashier actually trying to get customers through the check-out lines.  I was working so hard, that I guess customers even noticed, leaving lines after waiting in them for some time, already and stepping over to my line, where they waited no more than 5 minutes, I'm guessing.  Needing my lunch, badly, from working so hard, I called a CSM to let me go.  My answer was to wait for my replacement.  The clock ticked on, reaching 9 PM when I started to get furious.  I was scheduled to take my lunch at 8:30, and nobody seemed to ever care.  Of course, why would they? It's not the CSM whose been slaving away at the register, after all.  I again told the CSM, who said 'it was only a half hour late' as if that was perfectly acceptable.  Why is it my responsibility if my replacement is late?  I have to be responsible for my own job and theirs?  And now that they are late for their shift, I have to suffer the consequences? A coworker was also told, that she'd have to wait until her replacement showed up to leave, even though she was only scheduled until 9 and it 9:10.  This especially angered me.  According to Walmart managers, we don't have lives outside of Walmart.  Our scheduled work times and break times are merely suggestions, not concerning hours to be observed.  

11/01/2012 The first of the month

The first of the month is always hell, it is the prime shopping date for recipients of WIC checks and EBT payments, as well as just standard paychecks.  Therefore, I expected I'd be staying late.  This meant I got to witness a whole bunch of people buy anything that could be classified as food, gum, candy, and gourmet steak included, with their government provided funds.  The funds that I, you and every other hard working person in the U.S. helped pay for.  It leaves a bad taste in my mouth when I see a woman texting on her iPhone, carrying a Prada bag, hand over her EBT card to pay for the gourmet, highest-priced meat available.  I can't even afford those types of things, and yet, here I am helping her pay for hers.  Another sickening thing is watching how difficult it is for a customer to determine which few things are WIC approved, while someone with EBT can buy things as absurd as Sour Patch Kids and Ho-Ho's.  And, I'm now aware that someone with EBT can simply remove their government funds via cash-back.  The average person seems to have $200 per month, and today I witnessed a customer buy a box of Reese's Pieces, and take $100 of their EBT card, then proceed to buy a bottle of Patron and a pack of Newport's on their way out.  The contribution from Walmart for today's rant is this: those with no job, no intention of getting one, and enough skills to work the system are the ones getting help. Meanwhile, some Walmart employees, trying to support a family on our scarce wages, don't qualify for government assistance because we 'make too much,' and are not even offered medical benefits unless we work full-time, which is something those who were, had stripped away in the last few years, becoming part-time only by a difference of as little as 1 hour.