This was the job that had it all, nepotism, clicks, disregard for certain roles more than others, very bad managers, very abused and over worked managers and workers. Lead managers on power trips. I'll give a few examples and then ask a question of my own.
This was when I first started working more than a year and a half ago
FLM (the First lead manager), who hired me seemed nice at first, I had some health issues, I missed some shifts, honestly I understand that I made trouble, but, this is no way to handle it.
If you try to check your online schedule at midnight Sunday to Monday, it will appear blank, it was not the first time I had my shifts cancelled for “being naughty”, so I thought nothing of it. So I missed my next shift, I didn't get a call, or an email asking where I am. I did however get an email about me being deliberately missing a shift and being put on a disciplinary meeting. I could've been dead for all they know, because they didn't call to see WHY I was missing. But it doesn't end here. At the disciplinary meeting I quickly explained that for me the schedule appeared blank, he then put that aside and started police-style questioning me why I was absent on all the other days (that i was sick), any attempt at negotiating was negated with words like “you don't decide, I do”, he eventually cornered me when he wouldn't allow me to say anything but yes, repeating “do you understand?” to whatever I was saying.
I should've left then. I know I should've but I was stupid and afraid.
Now I reported FLM and didn't have much issues with him specfically after that.
There were some other issues, many of them a clear sign that I should've left. Being threaten with stabbing, being harrased by teen “clients”, being threaten with a crowbar. But I didn't want to leave on my own because of benefits loss. But most of all, my biggest issue was a shift manager I'll call Pi. Pi is rude to everyone except a few people she likes, but she's especially dismissed towards me, she avoids working with me, talking with me or seeing me in general, no matter how busy she is she'll never call me for help, no matter how much she needed me to stay she never asked me to (which of course I don't mind). Now I don't expect her to like me, just be civil about it, be an adult, do your goddamn job. She's rude to clients too. She must have something with the higher-ups as complaints do nothing to her. Either mine, or client's.
Either way I ignore her bad attitude most of the time, except when she insinuates I'm a thief. She told me that only a manager can open a certain cupboard, that's fine, most managers just gave me the key to open it, not Pi, she didn't let me have the key and instead sent another person (also not a manager) to open it. Giving a clear message that she just doesn't trust me. I also noticed that when my and her shifts are aligned another storage area is under lock. I thought maybe she's the paranoid type but no, you see, my co-worker was very shocked it was locked, as if, that never happened before. I can't imagine their shifts never aligned but I can imagine it's rare for all 3 of us to be together. Which made me think, she locked it, for me, specifically. Of course I could be wrong but… Third time I lost it,
a new procedure required people who are logged in the till to be sole responsible for it, so Pi told me to ask him before hand, I did, it was annoying but sure, I had suspicion that, if it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have done that but no proof, then I saw her take the till out to count the money a few minutes after I used it. How can all of these incidents be a coincidence? Coupled with her attitude towards me it just seemed wrong. So I went to SLM (the second lead manager) to tell him that I feel uncomfortable about Pi's attitude towards me and he just…completely dismissed me. I said I think Pi thinks I'm a theif, he said, no she doesn't. That was it. I decided to just go home, I said I was sick and that I wanted to go home, he insisted at knowing the issue then Pi showed up and, as I said, I lost it. Just said “i'm going home” clocked out and went down to change, a more agreeable manager, a nice girl over all, came to talk to me but it was little she could do.
Then comes the last round, the “finishing move”. He called me back, listened to the things that made me feel like she thinks I'm a theif and then, he called Pi to ask her if it's true. No offense but, who the f**k does that? “Hey mr bully are u bullying this girl?”, “no sir of course not”. Well it wasn't exactly like that but not too far off. “Hey Pi, this employee says you think this”, “no, no, I don't think this about her”.
Who does this? This is unbelievable anti-procedure, a lead manager no less. Then it gets even worse as he then turnes to me, says it's all in my head and gives me a literal threat. “you either go back to work, or you don't come back here again”. So, I said goodbye, left my unifrom and left the store.
What do I do now?
Sorry for the long rant. This is just the prelude of all the things that happen at this store.