Posted on 11/13/2011 11:06:23 AM PST by eccentric
Around the country, night workers at Walmart stores are being told to come in five hours early ON Thanksgiving. After having work until 7am that morning, they must get whatever sleep they can and then reutrn to work at 5pm for a 12 hour shift. How much time does this leave for them to spend the holiday with their family?
Walmart wants to call their employees associates. No, they are just workers.
Oh yes the economy was so good during the Carter years I worked at a construction company office during the day and worked at a bar at night- just to support myself. One of my daughters is working two jobs right now so it is still being done.
I learned something though- the worse the economy is the more greatful one should be to have a job.
Our economy is light years different and structurally worse than the Carter years. Carter was unable to wreck America through his bumbling leftism. But at least under Carter we were not running huge trade deficits. We manufactured a lot more of what we consumed. We imported a lot less oil. We didn’t have such huge Federal, state and consumer debt. We did not try and juice the economy via internet bubbles and real estate bubbles. We didn’t have a Fed Reserve with a zero rate interest policy
America was basically sound so RR was able to make correct the Jimmy Carter mistakes and put us on an upward trajectory
During the Carter years we sure didn’t know RR was going to come along and make things better, had no idea if anyone could fix the mess at the time. I worked in construction then and it sure tanked- being a young adult around other young adults I do remember jobs were hard to come by, and we were all working hard at whatever job/s we could get just to survive. Most of us had roomates just to get by, I am not seeing that yet on the level it was then.
We did import less oil but we were told we were running out and had to conserve energy- though at the then high prices of fuel trust me we were conserving as much as we could. Interest rates were so high even buying a car was out of the question for most people and I knew several who watched their small businesses fold because they could not afford to borrow money to stay in business waiting for RR to come save us all.
I have no idea if the issues we have now can be solved or when or by who- we didn’t know that either then, trust me. Hindsight is great. We did know things were bad, and we were glad to have jobs.
The whole point is the economy IS bad, so now is not the time to whine and complain about working hard or working holidays. It is a time to be very greatful if one is employed and is not on the street wishing for a job- even a job where employees are expected to work holidays is a blessing not something to whine about.
I am wondering why this whole thread is about Walmart employees working long hours on Thanksgiving due to the whole Black Friday sales- many stores are doing the same- and Walmart competes with those stores. Is it ok for anyone but Walmart to make a big deal of Thanksgiving/Black Friday sales and require their employees to work on a holiday?
NO ONE is forced to work or shop at Walmart. That is the bottom line.
Don't you have a community to organize? Don't keep your little ACORN and Planned Parenthood friends waiting. The SEIU is paying you good money to agitate and propigate.
Yes some are stark raving loony, proclaiming from the rooftops in their underwear.
More obedient wage slave jive. Obey obey obey obey and dont complain about crap wages. Be very grateful to your employer and above all shut your mouth!
Do you think they wear their purple shirts during the week and save their brown shirts for their “Sunday Best?”
:)
Says Tammy8: “NO ONE is forced to work or shop at Walmart. That is the bottom line.”
Tammy8 speaks sooth.
“This is demanded by the Walmart head honchos in Bentonville, Arkansas. Please let THEM (not the local workers) know what you you think of this.”
I do that every time I shop...I DO NOT shop at Walmart.
Says Tammy8: NO ONE is forced to work or shop at Walmart. That is the bottom line.
Tammy8 speaks sooth.
That's why I don't - on both instances. However, recognize that in these Hard Times, many people are trapped in their jobs and management is taking full advantage of it, just like in the 1930s.
“...many people are trapped in their jobs...”
Not so much. Most folks can find work elsewhere, just not as good.
Maybe I am different, I have never felt trapped in a job. I always felt if I wasn’t treated right I could and would quit- and did a few times. I was willing to do any kind of work, willing to move or whatever it took so I always managed to get another job and never felt like I couldn’t. I think people trap themselves in jobs and marriages and other things, I have never felt I couldn’t do something different if I wanted to so don’t understand that at all.
Some companies and managers will take advantage of workers when they can, that is absolutely true. It is up to the employee to not allow it to happen. There is also the company’s side of the equation that retail is very competitive right now and most of the major retail companies if not all are going all out for Black Friday. In order to survive in today’s climate- and be financially stable enough to keep people working Walmart has to do the same or more. I have worked for people in a crunch for one reason or another and instead of complaining I thought it was time to pull together and bust our butts to make it all work. Walmart employees should be willing to give it their all or quit. If they really do think they are being treated badly they really need to quit.
I am done with this thread ..... yesterday
Thanks for your response. Like I told N and GB, I am done here. Have said my piece.
Many were “trapped” prior to the advent of unions.
Are you advocating something that inquiring minds desire to know?
Do you restrict your purchase of union only or non-union establishments?
Last Labor Day Holiday I was on the Meijer’s web-site for about 16 hours solid filling out job apps for EVERY job open in a 20 mile radius. I received ZERO call-back. That was the LAST time I ever inquired what was going on at Meijer (after two years maintenance of my job-profile). Maybe Walmart might be somthing for me to look into.
In the local city-weekly jobs are advertised ALL the time. Like the job needing TWO years experience to run a specific type of lawn mower. I told the guy: “You put helicopter blades on the damn thing and I could fly it; you put ordinance on it and I can destroy your enemies.”
We need two years experience with that particular model of lawn mower.
I applied for a clerk at some roach motel: “do you have a degree in or at least two years verifiable experience in the hospitality industry?”
Despite my 20 year history as software analyst/developer, and Michigan’s “No Worker Left Behind” footing college at the local community school so as to upgrade 20 years experience - legacy software - with object-oriented coding, systems analysis & design, some data-base, a smattering of web-design & development, networks, and a grounding in business information systeem security I’ve had TWO interviews since completing my classes May 2010.
I began to work as a professional fund-raiser for $7.40 / hr / 20 hr / wk Jun 2011.
I have NO sympathy for whatever nattering nabobs are muttering about.
weong. You didn’t subtract sleep time as mentioned in the sentence before. Now add another step: subtract travel time.
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