I recently started working on the retail side of a larger brand that has its headquarters right above their flagship retail store, where I work. The first month or so was a great honeymoon period, the team I work with is superb and my direct managers are understanding and treat us like humans. The carrot of upward mobility was dangled during the interview, and at first glance appeared to be a real possibility. Now that we're past the honeymoon period, it's “mask off” for big ol' daddy capitalism! I found out the wage I'm being paid is absurdly low compared to some less experienced co-workers. I don't have healthcare coverage despite working 32-36 hours a week. We had a district manager visit for a few days and yank our leashes while understanding none of the nuances we've developed. Basically, same shit different place. Same shit at every retail job eventually. We are not working upstairs at any point and that is clear. We are necessary cogs in the machine and they know that.
It makes me wonder if it's even possible to have a retail environment where it doesn't feel like your neck is being stepped on at some point. Are retail workers, myself included, just a hard-stuck class of people that will always get shafted until they manage to escape the tier of shit? Can anyone share experiences that would help me feel otherwise? At some point I do plan on developing more advanced skills in order to earn higher wages, but this can't just be “it” for all of us for the time being.