Now I am sure that everyone here is familiar with the imfamous "Save Money. Live Better." quote that defines the existance of the Devil himself, but what does that saying really mean? Who is saving money? Who is living better? How can I get in on this? Well you would be surprised at the answer, not because of what the answer actually means, but the nature of the simplicity involved at which Wal-Mart has grabbed the world by the gonads. Hell, they might as well have napalm laced gloves on. (For more on that topic, check out http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/10/tech/social-media/apparently-this-matters-ice-cube-good-day-blimp/ and have a good read.) Heading back to the topic, grab a seat and a snack as we take a more realistic look at that famous trademark slogan and what it really means to save money and live better, no matter the cost.
First, let's take a detour and introduce a group that is making a difference in the modern workplace. They are known as the Organization United for Respect for Wal-Mart Workers. It is a non-profit, non-union organization created by both former and current Wal-Mart employees. The organization, OUR Wal-Mart, has fought numerous battles with the retail giant over the few years it has been around. In fact, they have uncovered several documents and stories that are purposley kept away from associates and even management about the work practices revolving within the company. Their recent victory won associates the ability to opt in for additional hours that are available in their store. These hours are actually empty shifts that the store has and they can range from anything simple, such as a cashier, all the way to more advanced areas, such as training coordinator. All in all, this sounds like a great idea on paper, and it really is. However, there is something more dark and sinister around the situation. Prepare to get angry. Grab a snack and a small animal.
In the last few months time, various Wal-Mart locations have been ordered to cut payroll hours. First of all, how can a multibillion dollar company NOT afford to pay someone for a few extra hours of work? Does that seem right to you? One example of hours being cut happens to be at my Wal-Mart location. Our store manager told me directly that he had to cut 10,000 payroll hours down to 8,700 hours, and he was not told why. When I asked him about it, he simply said that "we have to do what's right in the company to keep the shareholders happy." What about the associates who can't pay their bills this month due to budget cuts? With the hours being cut left and right, associates are also being punished for working over their scheduled hours. For example, if I worked 5 minutes extra, I have to take those 5 minutes off my work day. It is mandatory. Failure to do so will result in fewer scheduled hours for the next work week. This is true stuff right here, and most of you know it.
Alright, so they are cutting hours and not letting you work over, but there are available shifts you can take for more hours. Why not take those shifts? Here is where it gets complicated. Most of the available shifts either conflict with existing shifts, are positions in the store that most associates are not physically able to perform, or they require management approval and additional training to even accept. Let's say I want to take a cashier schedule one day. I already know how to run a register and I can do returns. Not happening, and here is why. Management says they are not allowed to give associates any more hours than what they already have scheduled, and that statement is directly from an assistant manager at my store.
So what is the open available shift program? The program is basically all the hours that have been cut from the associates that need them, and, instead of giving them back to us freely, they are making us fight over the open shifts, once we are allowed to accept them, just to try and make our ends meet. The problem is that every time we tend to make the ends meet, they get further away. Several associates, including myself, are forced to take second and even third jobs just to make the power bill and rent. What is the solution to the problem? How can we, the poor working class, make our lives worth living? Wal-Mart's answer is simple: Become a shareholder! That's right! We need to participate in the stock purchase program and earn ourselves a slice of the company. Sure, we are already sacrificing our back bones, souls, common sense, and even our health, for a tiny paycheck every two weeks that isn't even enough to bring us above the poverty line. It would only make more sense to give more of our hard earned money back to the store that worked it out of our blood and sweat. It has already been proven that Wal-Mart pays it's employees so little that they are forced to shop at the same place they work, thus putting most of the payroll expenses they spent back into their pockets. So if we all stopped complaining about being overworked and underpaid, then gave even more of what little we get back to Wal-Mart, we, too, can "Save Money" and start to "Live Better," don't you agree? If you do agree, please head to the nearest INS office and ask to have yourself deported from the planet Earth. While you are at it, see if you can take Miley Cyrus and Kanye West with you. Help keep the planet green and healthy.
If you do not agree with what Wal-Mart is doing and you do want to say something about it, but you are afraid to, why not look into OUR Wal-Mart? As a current member myself, I can tell you that the things people can do when they stand united is far, far greater than what you can do alone. We look after our own and help however we can, and you can rest assured that whatever thoughts or concerns you have WILL be heard and WILL be appreciated by us. Take if you will this quote from the movie "V For Vendetta" and imagine it referencing Wal-Mart and what people like OUR Wal-Mart want to do for you: "A building is a symbol, as is the act of destroying it. Symbols are given power by people. Alone, a symbol is meaningless, but with enough people, blowing up a building can change the world." As a side note, if you have never seen that movie, it is a must watch film. You will truly understand everyday life better after watching it.
Heading back to topic, why not offer your thoughts and opinions and join the ranks of OUR Wal-Mart? After all, if we don't stand up for ourselves, who will? Do you want to keep hiding the fact that you want to see something improve, or do you want to make a difference and get the improvement that is needed to make your work place a more enjoyable place to be? Let's face it, you can sit and think about ways to change what is wrong, or you can change it. It's up to you to make it happen, so why not today?
If you want to know more about the organization, visit their official website at http://forrespect.org and see what you can do to be a part of the change.
No comments:
Post a Comment