So I've been working at a supermarket deli for 6 months now, going on my last week there. Since I started we've had 4-7 people at a time because new people come and leave in under a week, without even saying anything, just disappear. At four people all we have is 2 openers, 2 closers. A lot of us worked 7 day weeks, even back to back for 14 days in a row. I know employees can consent to not having a day off but we were never even asked, just expected to do it.
The work is physically intense, the pay is the same as cashiers (min), we're all expected to be full time even if you've voiced your concerns about being a student. My boyfriend and I coming in at the right time is the only reason that place is still running or they would have only had 2 people. So they gave us both a one dollar raise a month before min went up and it didn't continue thereafter. He kept telling my other coworkers who had been there in times of stress that they would get it too and just kept saying “next week” until min went up. That's not a fucking raise. Even my manager who runs around the store like a chicken without a head is only making 17/h.
We all work 10/11 hour days 5-7 days a week. Any job that often is grueling. (I'm the only one who gets 5 because I have school the other 2 days) At those hours were supposed to get 2 breaks and a lunch and if my manager is in charge of breaks that day you won't even get them all or you won't get your first break until halfway through your shift.
One guy cut his hand and was out for 2 weeks and has been trying to get the paperwork filed over to the doctor since and they just won't. Apparently the store managers were never trained to know where the comp info is and even calling corporate did nothing.
One girl was the brunt of some sexual jokes another guy made so she made a big deal about it and complained about him. He lied about what happened so she put in a paper stating that she said something so it was on record. They then transferred him to another store and were looking for anything to fire her over. Accusing her of stealing things or doing things they couldn't prove.
Now she gets actually touched and commented on by our new manager and has told him repeatedly to stop and he won't but she's afraid to go to higher ups because of the retaliation last time.
Higher ups are all insensitive to general health issues and emotional issues. And yeah i agree you should keep your cool at work if you can but in the time I've been there 3 people have had in-family deaths and not allowed to leave or be upset about it or get an extra day off to grieve unless it's an event like the wake. Same girl I mentioned above is also having health issues now and is still being made to work 11 hours a day and wait long hours for her breaks. Wasn't allowed to take an extra day off to rest and call a doctor until she fought for it because manager says “but I need you”
Damn I could even keep going about this place. It's all just bullshit like this piling up together that creates such a shit environment and they've definitely broken some laws. There's no HR department to my knowledge, but I want to do something about this so all the people who come in after me don't have to deal with this same stupid bs or at least the higher ups will know they can be fought over it.