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Antiwork

Boss left me alone with one other worker at a grocery store after I gave my notice.

So this happened about a decade ago, when I was 19. TL;DR – worked my last shift at a grocery store and the manager told everyone except cashiers and direct supervisor they could stay home, leaving me to do all the work. A little bit of back story: I was working two seperate part time jobs, and doing night school to improve one of my courses for college application. Walmart, and a “unionized” grocery store. I was saving for the college tuition I'd be paying the next year Keep in mind, this grocery store's “union” for it's workers was abysmal. I was given a 5¢ raise after 2000 hours, benefits were nearly non-existent, and as a part time employee, I was only guaranteed 5 hours in a three week period. It was actually worse to work for than Walmart. Full time employees were better off, but not by much. I…


So this happened about a decade ago, when I was 19.

TL;DR – worked my last shift at a grocery store and the manager told everyone except cashiers and direct supervisor they could stay home, leaving me to do all the work.

A little bit of back story: I was working two seperate part time jobs, and doing night school to improve one of my courses for college application. Walmart, and a “unionized” grocery store. I was saving for the college tuition I'd be paying the next year

Keep in mind, this grocery store's “union” for it's workers was abysmal. I was given a 5¢ raise after 2000 hours, benefits were nearly non-existent, and as a part time employee, I was only guaranteed 5 hours in a three week period. It was actually worse to work for than Walmart. Full time employees were better off, but not by much.

I was often the guy that would cover midnight and daytime call outs. I was dependable, a “team player”, and always helped where I could.

At times, I would cover night shift for a few weeks at a time. Usually one of the night stockers were on vacation, or off sick, or whatever. I was the one they always asked, but never kept me on more than 3 weeks because then they would have to consider me “full time” and pay me more. I would often go to night school, work a full 8 hour shift at the grocery store overnight, then work another 8 hour shift at Wally World. Sleep for a few hours then do it all again.

The time came for me to go to college, and I could only keep one of my jobs, so I decided to stay with the Walton's. A guaranteed 30¢/hr raise every year, and my manager was actually nice. I handed in my written 3 week notice (as the schedules were already up for that week) to give them enough time to find a replacement.

What did I get in return? My hours were slashed from 20/week to nothing, except an 8 hour shift on my last day.

OK. Whatever. I was leaving anyways, so who really cares.

I show up to my last shift to find out no one was working the shelves except for myself and my supervisor. The other two grocery employees that are usually scheduled were gone. The dairy guy was gone. Cart guy? Gone. Meat and produce? Also both gone.

We were there, as 2 people, working 8 people's jobs on a Friday, one of the busiest days of the week.

If I didn't have heaps of respect for my shift supervisor, I would have walked out (and in hindsight, I probably should have). I wrote the head office about the disrespect I receieved, and got nothing in return except for an “I'm sorry you feel that way” letter.

Fuck that place.

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