| Do you think that overall we would be better off as associates with these changes? | ||||||||||||||
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| Total Votes : 10 | ||||||||||||||
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:18 am Post subject: How about these changes | |
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Okay this is a list of proposed changed from www.1805alive.org
This is believe is a much more thought out and more representive agreement of sweeping changes across the board that they want to be seen. I would like everyones opinion on these and a vote on the poll i am going to set up if you dont mind. These 30 "benefits" (SEE BELOW) are the basis for a Union Contract and represent a significant improvement over what Sears give us now. These ideas have been developed over a period of nearly a year and come from all the employees. While new to us, these "benefits" are very common to many other companies, including most retail stores. Sears doesn't want you to know that. Once Sears sees these 30 Benefits they will deride them, and tell you that none of are acceptable to Sears and that we won't get a single one. But of course they will say that to stop us from forming a Union, just like they tried to stop us last September when they changed managers, declared a points amnesty and brought in all the corporate honchos. Their actions were actually against the law, as Sears has acknowledged, and as you will soon see in a document to be posted in the store 30 BENEFITS: Benefit #1 Immediate Wage Increase for All Hourly Employees Wages for all hourly employees must be increased to $9.00 per hour. Those who work in hazardous positions, like package pickup, must receive a minimum of $10.00 per hour. All other employees shall receive an immediate $1.00 per hour increase. Comments: A survey of most of the other mall department stores show that many pay a minimum of 9.00 per hour. And you should get this amount as well. We currently have some employees who receive $7.50 per hour and have worked at Sears for some time. Other employees who just started are making $9.00 per hour. There should be equal pay for equal work. No one in the store should make less than $9.00 per hour and that is what we will work to get for you. The few employees making more than $9.00 per hour will continue to receive the higher wage, plus an immediate $1.00 per hour increase. Benefit #2 Immediate Base Increase for all Commission Sales Associates Sears will provide a base rate of $9.00 per hour for all commission sales associates. This will be a draw, only when commission earnings exceed the $9.00 base. If commission earnings fall below the $9.00 earnings rate, the $9.00 will be paid as a flat rate and will not be deducted from future earnings. Comments: It is time for Sears to pay us closer to what we are worth, and a $9.00 base/draw rate is a lot closer than what Sears pays now, which is nothing or close to it. This change shall increase our income and sustain us when seasonal sales are very low or when ice storms or droughts harm our ability to make a living. Benefit #3 Commission and Income Protection There will be no reductions in commission percentages on any products for a period of three years. Sears will also publicly post the commission percentages on all products in the store. Comments: In this last year Sears has cut commission on shoes from 10% to 7% which meant thousands dollars of lost income and they have cut commissions on other products as well. Sears will not be able to just reduce your income whenever they want. Benefit #4 Annual Merit Raise In consultation with the Union, Sears will establish a reasonable Annual Employee Performance Review program. Upon satisfactory review, the flat wage employee will receive a wage increase of $1.00 per hour per year for the period of the contract. Upon satisfactory review, $1.00 will be added to the benefit rate of the commissioned sales employee. Comments: When Sears gives a merit raise, it often amounts to no more than 25 cents an hour, which is a pittance and an insult to employees. And commission sales associates get no raise at all. And why shouldn't they get some appreciation for their longevity and good performance? Benefit #5 Annual Cost of Living Raise Sears will give each employee an annual cost of living (COL) increase. COL's are usually around 2% to 3% and would be paid starting with each new calendar year. Comments: A cost of living increase is a very common raise for most workers at most American companies. When you don't get an annual cost of living increase then you are actually losing money, because the money Sears pays you doesn't buy as much as it did the year before. This is a very, very basic raise that millions of Americans receive every year. Benefit #6 No More Point System! The Union will force Sears to completely withdraw the point system. The Union will develop an attendance policy in consultation and agreement with Sears that is a fair one for all. Comments: The Point System is an abusive system that very few companies have, and that no other mall store has. We will force Sears to develop an attendance policy system that all employees can vote on, one that is fair and responsible to all. Most other Sears stores throughout the nation still have the Point System and Sears only dropped it momentarily as a way to bust our organizing effort, an action that is actually against the law according to the National Labor Relations Guidelines. But the System is creeping back, and if we don't get a Union here, Sears will wait a few months, then bring it back full steam as it still is at other stores. Benefit #7 One Month Schedule, One Week in Advance Sears will convert to a one-month work schedule with one-week advance notice. Employees will be allowed to adjust the schedule by switching work times with other employees and/or by gaining their managers approval. Comments: We employees have a right to get what Belk, Nordstrom, Lord and Taylor and Hecht's automatically give their employees; one month advance scheduling, so you can plan your life with your family and friends. It is so easy for them to do, but they won't make the effort unless we have a Union that forces them to do it. Benefit #8 No Benefit Rate Freezes Sears will not switch commission sales positions to flat rate positions without the Union's consultation and approval, and for the duration of the three-year contract. If the Union approves of such a change, every employee will not make less than the average of all employees' benefit rate (or flat rate), and any employee above the average benefit rate (or flat rate), will retain that rate. Comments: Last year Sears switched some commission sales positions to flat rate positions, without notice to employees, and some employees' benefit rates were frozen at very low levels. Many former (and some current managers) predicts that Sears will eventually drive everyone's benefit rate down, then switch all sales positions to flat rate positions. Only a Union contract can stop this from happening. Benefit #9 All Time Benefit Rate Your employee's benefit rate (or the flat rate, whichever is greater), will apply for all time off the floor, for training meetings, business meetings, store meetings, etc. Preparation time before the store opens will also be at benefit rate, or flat rate whichever is greater. There will no longer be a separate training rate, business rate or meeting rate. Comments: Sears gets us cheap when they make us attend meetings or come in to work 30 minutes before the store opens. But your benefit rate (or a $9.00 flat rate, whichever is greater), is what you are worth and they should not be able to pay you anything less at anytime. Calculate the improvement in your income. Benefit #10 "No Flood" Protection Sears will be forced to consult with the Union so as not to reduce incomes and benefit rates by "flooding the floor." Sears will provide sales per hour data, and other relevant statistical data to the Union so that the Union will be able to negotiate floor associate numbers. Comments: Sears takes money from our pockets every time it floods the floor with commission associates. We will work for a balanced number of sales associates so all can make money and all customers can be properly served. Benefit #11 Truth-In-Income Protection Department average incomes and median incomes will be publicly posted, monthly, quarterly and annually for each commissioned sales department. This will enable employees to effectively evaluate the income potential or non-potential of each department when they are considering moving to another department. Such information will also be provided to all potential employees when they are interviewed and before any offer is tendered so new employees can also be protected. Comments: This could be called the "Great Paint Caper Rule." Many employees have been told that they can improve their income by going to Hardware and Paint. Yet many employees have lost money because Paint is the black hole of money. This Rule would protect current and new employees by disclosing the income levels in all departments. Benefit #12 Job Security Grievance systems will be developed in consultation with the Union and will be publicly posted and mailed to the residence of each employee. A Grievance system is basically a series of steps that Sears must abide before any worker can be terminated. The Union Steward (chosen by employees) shall be involved in each step to be an advocate for the employee. No manager may have a private consultation with an employee about that employee's behavior, without a Union representative in attendance as an advocate for the employee, unless the employee chooses not to have the Advocate present. Comments: No employee could be terminated without an extensive review and Grievance System protection. Most companies have such a grievance and review system as a matter of fairness, even without a Union. We must insist on this clause in our contract to give each and every employee fairness and job protection. Benefit #13 Full-time Benefits for Full-Time Work Sears will not be able to work a new employee more than 30 hours per week, for more than one month, without giving the new employee full time status with all appropriate benefits, including but not limited to, health care benefits. Comments: Sears has a history of working employees as long as they can without providing full time benefits. No more. They won't be allowed to cheat people out of health care benefits. Benefit #14 Respect for your Time-Off Requests Sears will honor employee requests for schedule changes on the Stars Systems or inform the employee, in advance, why the request cannot be honored. Comments: Sears is supposed to use the Stars System, but time-after-time employees find out, after the fact, that their time-off requests have not been honored. With this rule Sears will have to honor the request unless they tell you why not, and in advance. Benefit #15 Health Care Cost Protection Sears will not increase the cost of health care benefits for the duration of the three-year contract without the express written approval of the Union. Comments: With the rising costs for healthcare, this rule will not allow Sears to increase your costs for up to three years. |
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Joined: 07 Jul 2003
Posts: 1037
Location: Formerly 3333
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:32 am Post subject: | |
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If we implemented the salary "mandate", we would go from being a profitable company to a company in the red.
Simply put, we cannot afford that as a company. I voted "No". "Footie" |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:36 am Post subject: | |
I knew you would answer no footie  . Other unions imply the same thing and if those companies can be profitable i believe we can do the same thing. Sears would see the same thing. i wonder what would happened if a ton of employees went on strike. Maybe sears would rethink how much money they would loose then, cause the mandate wouldnt sound so much like a bad thing. Also how about all the other changes looking aside fromt he salary mandate. What are your opinions on the other 29 benifits?
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 933
Location: roaming...
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:36 am Post subject: | |
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Second half of changes is here.
c/o searsmatrix |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 933
Location: roaming...
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:39 am Post subject: | |
| Placed my vote (1). I'll review and discuss this in more detail later on, when I get a bit more time to spare. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:41 am Post subject: | |
| Alright i know i think i should get some type of reward for longest posts:) | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:59 am Post subject: | |
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Whos going to give me a yes vote to help even out the balance any takers :0
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:02 am Post subject: | |
| Well by the polls so far people are voting now and i respect that but i am not hearing why only from footie. For the people who disagreed with me would you mind replying in a post on here why you disagree with the proposed changes. I want to know all of your opinions on this so we can all learn from eachother and what eachother thinks. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 462
Location: West Coast
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:15 am Post subject: | |
| i would like to see some of the changes implemented, sure. do i think sears can "afford" it, no. unfortunately, i think the extra costs would be reflected in other ways, ie, price increases, staffing decreases, which would only hurt the company in the long run. i wish i could vote yes, but i'd have to realisticaly vote no. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 1337
Location: The Collective
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:20 am Post subject: | |
| I am going to say this very carefully. I believe the reason not many respond to your posts is because they are generally poorly written and too long. I also feel that many do not find the things you claim to be getting from a secret source to be factual. That is only my opinion. When one cries "wolf" too many times, one tends to get ignored. IMO | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:45 am Post subject: | |
| Well my posts are long yes, but i got this post from differnt website and wanting to share this info with people. But my posts are not poorly written i believe that i write as good or better then most of the people on here. So body guard please give me an example of how i am crying wolf? Now i understand about my source why would a kid get this sort of info? I was trying to give that person credit because i did not want to pond certain info off as my own because i felt it was not the right thing to do. Maybe in the future i wont say anon and when i get that info and people ask where did i get it what should i say? from the sky. Plus i dont have all day to surf the intranet. if you do know most of this stuff that i have already said how come you never posted it like i did? All you did was discount me and said this is no secret its on the intranet. Well then by all means beat me to the punch print this stuff out and put it on the sight. If you know all this stuff how come you didnt post it before i did. I am not trying to fight i just want to know why. Also in our store we use our managers password and log in to look up customers reciepts. Do we get privalged info on that intranet that normal associates might not get and if so can we get in trouble or written up for viewing that info and prinnting it as well? I was curious to see if you might know the answer to that question. | |
Joined: 11 Jul 2003
Posts: 132
Location: Midwest, IN
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:47 am Post subject: | |
| It's not going to change overnight, but in the long run asking for these things is a good idea, not that all of them could be met. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:50 am Post subject: | |
| True and i dont expect all of them to be met up front. But its a good road to start. When you negotiate you rarely ever get all you ask for so you comprimise and see where the chips fall. Hell if we got half the things i posted above i think alot of people would be pretty happy. Also searsycac i know my posts can be long but do you agree with bodyguard in saying that my posts are poorly written ??? | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 2400
Location: A little bit sideways!
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:57 am Post subject: | |||
Say, how was the weather today in Citrus Heights? ~GoodFella Last edited by GoodFella on Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:59 am Post subject: | |
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Dont know do you know ???
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 2400
Location: A little bit sideways!
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:10 am Post subject: | |||
I heard that there was a storm a brewing? ~GoodFella |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:11 am Post subject: | |
| that sucks. A storm as in like a huricane down in florida. I think it is located in polk country correct down in florida. Trying to remember geography from a few years back. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 1337
Location: The Collective
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:14 am Post subject: | |||
Run your post through a spell checker. Your spelling and grammer are poor. Everybody misses a word now and then, but your posts are very badly written. I dont post a lot of the things I read because I dont think they should be posted on a public forum. An ASM's password will get you into the payroll section of SSG and into their own personal workbench. Not one thing you have posted cannot be found with a salepersons login name. No ASM would give you his or her password, ever. Doing so could get them fired. You asked, I told. |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:18 am Post subject: | |
| Okay fair enough. But my next question is if you know alot of this stuff from going on the intranet at sears how do you find the time when you are working to look all of this up. Do you have alot of down times in your store where you are able to look up all this stuff? the store i am at the managers dont like people on the cpu to much they always nose their way over to make sure you are using it for a customer and not personal use. it must be nice to be able to look all that up. Wish i had the time and managers go ahead to do that. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 2400
Location: A little bit sideways!
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:31 am Post subject: | |||
It was so hot that......"A fat guy was out in the parking lot selling shade." Just a quick joke BTW! ~GoodFella |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:40 am Post subject: | |
| Hahahh you crack me up goodfella. You are funny. Hey where is bodyguard to answer my question above that i stated? he or she ( i say that because i dont know since this is the internet) might have gone to bed oh well maybe in the mourning i will get an answer to my question. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2003 4:23 am Post subject: | |
| small bump | |
Joined: 11 Jul 2003
Posts: 132
Location: Midwest, IN
| Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2003 5:34 am Post subject: | |
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Seems to take me a long time to respond to these posts latley... even if something was not written all so well, it doesn't matter to me... its online just like e-mail ... not exactly a offical document, its just us talking back and forth to eachother. Don't remember for sure now, but didn't think it was poorly written.
In honor of you though i made this post long winded. keep up the writing. |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2003 5:45 am Post subject: | |
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thanks searsycac your my new found friend. Together we can conquer the evil forces of retail-worker.
(lets out an evil laugh) HHAHAHAHAH Just pulling your train Searsycac you get an official whoot seal of approval.
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