So as many of you know, I have been working all night recently. Why...you may ask...well because the store that I work for is have a huge sale and only has two of these a year. Tons of older colors and designs are half off which is a good deal and the quality of the merchandise is good too. However I started looking into where these items are made and most are made in China or Indonesia. I can pretty much guarantee that the workers who make these items that we sell for around $50 a piece are making about three dollars a day. Such is retail right? I know I am making $9 an hour so in order for me to afford these items even with my "discount", I still need to work 4 and 1/2 hours to buy one. Even then, I can't actually afford one as I need to eat and pay rent and all....But then I was thinking about the people who make them and how much they would have to work to pay for even one and it just about killed me. All around ridiculous bullshit.
Moving on, I found out today that a woman who works for this store is considered a manager but does not have the full title yet because her promotion did not kick in in time for the corporate turn over and therefore she does not actually exist as a manager even though she has been promised a raise, she has yet to see it or the benefits package other managers get. Basically she works for $9 an hour with all the responsibilities and non of the perks a manager gets. That is so wrong. I asked her why she stays and she said that basically it is so hard to find a job right now that she has very little choice. Oh SHIT!!! That does not bode well for me!
Not only did she work from 4pm to 4am with me, but she also worked an additional 5 hours that day giving her a 17 hour day. I worked a 12 and 1/2 hour day, but am scheduled so that I can't pick up more than 40 hours a week so I can not collect overtime. However she can and I hope she does! Maybe all this kind of bullshit is why our store manager just walked out this week....hmmmm...
Ok, back to me! I worked from 4pm to 2:30 am Sunday and then on Monday 4pm to 4:15am. I almost walked out. I was so exhausted I could not even see straight. Working on your feet that long, moving as fast as you can leads to injury. On Sunday night an employee dropped a 50lbs box on her foot and hobbled to the workforce services clinic. Another hit her head on shelving and had to sit down but wanted to tough our her shift anyway. And then there is me. A glass shelf shattered while I was right next to it, it fell and glass popped up and cut my forehead and chest. I bled for quiet a while and will probably have a scar on my head and one big one on my chest. I had to clean up the mess as soon as I stopped bleeding. At that point an employee dropped a body form on my foot, leaving a massive bruise, and I have tons of bruises up and down my arms and legs from moving store fixtures. At this point, I can not even lift my right arm. That is saying something because I am quiet fit and stronger than most women if the truth be told. I became so exhausted at one point during this shift that my hands went numb and so did several other employees. We all complained about back and foot pain and were told that we would stay until it was done. We had what we call a last man standing shift. This means that no matter what time you are scheduled until, you have to work until its finished or risk a write up or worse. In fact one of the managers did not even have time to go to sleep that night, she left after four, went home, showered and went back to work to open early for this sale. People seem to think that retail stores have "people" that do all this for us....nope we don't. I am still so sore its not even funny.
Today friends, was a day from hell. Customers were ripping through the store like a pack of wild dogs leaving a frilly, lacie, silky carnage in their wake. They seem to think that because things are on sale, they can do what ever they want when ever they want to do it. This means they drop merchandise on the floor, through it under sales bins and racks, put it on the wrong side of the store, drop it over store fixtures or shove it in drawers. Today I followed one customer around for more than 15 minutes picking up all the items that she dropped or threw where ever she felt like it. It makes me wonder if these inconsiderate women feel so marginalized in life that they exert power where ever they can. They do whatever they want with out a acre or concern for the low wage workers that have to clean up after them. These are the same workers who stay until 4am to ensure she has what she wants, when ever she wants it. To say its not right is a massive understatement. They leave things falling off hangers, sitting on the floor and tossed where ever they feel like it in the moment. It takes a huge amount of time and energy to clean up after these women and makes the worker feel like "the help" which in all actuality we are.
For example, today I had to clean up someones spilled drink, I was handed USED underwear and asked to do a return on them, I put back 100's of items and cleaned up other peoples garbage and used food wrappers. I did not even have to clean bathrooms today or mop floors so all in all I got off easy. I still have to take all the garbage out, which requires several trips and a cart...and its so gross its not even funny. Last week a woman left her bloody underwear in the changing room. Who does she think she is? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? GROSS! Yep, I had to clean it up. I had gloves but still, I felt the need for a decontamination shower ala "Silkwood" after. In my time in retail I have cleaned up, blood, feces, urine, vomit, food, food wrappers, spilled drinks, cups, and condoms. Yesterday I got to damage out a piece of clothing that some man had uh...well....spanked his monkey into during store hours and he left this particular item on the hanger. Thanks buddy. All for $9 an hour. And for some its minimum wage for gods sake!!!
I am reminded of this difference in pay regularly.
They talk alot about safety being super important in this company. I beg to differ. I have never felt safe in the back room where I work and am often asked to do things that require me to climb on furniture, move items that weigh more than I do, lean ladders against glass windows and the list goes on and on. In fact right now in the back room a person can not even walk a straight line and you have to step over boxes and all types of items all over the floor and there is no where to put any of these items away. I have items fall on me, tip over on me and there are lots of "war stories" that employees brag about. It seems getting injured is a badge of honor at work, as is "sticking out" last man standing shifts. There is a huge sense of pride among many of the employees. They take great pride in being able to get through all this nonsense. I think it makes things easier for us/them to get through the day. To take stock of all you have been through is a great coping skill. But should we really need this skill to sell underwear? So much stress, trauma and injury for underwear. Really?
I am seriously considering going naked everywhere. I think I hate bra's and panties. And really at this point who can blame me?
hey all, this is true stuff! tell me what you think!
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