Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 6:27 am Post subject: What should be the main focus of the new retailworker site? | |
| I have been thinking for the past week or so as to what direction we should take with the new site that has been generously given to us(one that i am very thankfull for by the way). During the original retailworker matrix it was initially designed to bring us closer together as associates from coast to coast to tell each other that we were not alone and that their were others who had felt our gried. That site grew from one person to over 3000 people plus in one year. Many people met there, gained friends and shared common grounds on to what was happening with the company(both good and bad). That sight over time has now since ciesed to exist. Now we are presented with a new oppertunity a new retailworker.com. I believe that we should make it clear early on (if this site permits me to) to make this site a clear jump off point of creating a nationwide union in protecting all of sears employees alike (commision and non commisioned associates). Could imagine going to work and knowing that you had some level of protection with your job, knowing that your manager could not screw you over with points whenever he or she felt like it? Taking an hour lunch and not getting in trouble. Having some control over the sales floor as to help influence how many sales assoicates we have on the floor at any one given time? If you have a problem having a union steward to be able to go to? If you worked in cashwrap being paid 10 dollars an hour vs the puny pay they give you now? Merchandise pickup getting 12 dollars an hour? Management that was forced to respect you knowing that if they crossed the line to much it could lead to trouble for them? These ideas are not unnatainable by any means. Are they easy to obtain? The answer is a definite no, but the things that are most worthwhile in life are the hardest to obtain. I would just like people to be able to go to work, be on time and do their best and be rewarded and respected for doing so, no humilated or talked down to by management knowing that they can act as mini gods and boss you around as you please and tell you that you commision people are making too much money. I think a big thing that sears has lost focus of is lack for respect for its employees. I think if they regained focus of that things could be much better for all of us. We have given them plenty of time to try and rekindle that respect with us only to find more rules and restrictions as well as paycuts given to us over the years as a reward for our hardwork saying that "Sears is going through a ruff time we all need to make sacrafices" when in reality many of you think well if "i have to make a sacrafice why doesnt alan lacy have to make one" alans response to that "may pay is in line with many of the other fortune 500 companies" translated into associate english "all you lowlife associates can kiss my hoffman butt" We need to make a stand, and let this site be the place where we make it. I am posting a poll below to show a reflection of support of the direction of this site please vote it is important that we all know where we stand. | |
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 2205
Location: A little bit sideways!
| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 6:40 am Post subject: | |
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I think maybe give this a little time 'till all of us are back.
Yeah, run the poll anyway SM. You can always bump it to the top. ~GoodFella |
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Administrator
Joined: 30 Jun 2003
Posts: 1010
Location: over yonder
| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 8:42 am Post subject: | |||
To learn how to properly utilize line breaks?  OMG that's a big chunk of text!
Anyhoo, this is the wrong forum for this topic. But since you typed so much, I'm simply going to move it instead of locking it. |
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Moderator
Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Posts: 13
| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 12:20 pm Post subject: | |
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Searsmatrix - that is one of the most articulate and straight-up statements on the subject of what can be achieved through collective action that I've ever heard (and I've heard a lot of them).
It's not my intention to inject myself into discussions that your community may be having about unionization (I'm just here to help moderate while the new site gets established) but I thought that I would share this thought with you: One of the essential first steps in deciding "Do we want to join a union?" ought to be talking about the kind of workplace you want, the kind of wages, working conditions, working environment you want. You've just said a mouthful on that score... Line breaks or not, 
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 6:09 pm Post subject: | |
Yeah my apologies for not putting in line breaks. I should have split it up into more paragraphs. Again ty for not moving this topic off this forum. I believe it affects all of sears employees alike and i wanted to give a feel for what is going on at our store. I must admit that probably goodfella is right in the way that maybe i started this post too early since we do not have quiet the numbers that we did before( although through the trickledown affect and word of mouth i soon believe we will have strong numbers again). Thanks for the compliments on the articulate writting  . I wrote that in about 10 minutes so excuse me for the many grammer mistakes that i am sure that i made.
For all who dont know i am 22 years old and i go to school in southern california. I have been with sears now for almost 4 years and have worked all 4 years in div 57. For the first three years my midpay was right around or above 20 dollars an hour. The last year though, they have just ripped my commisions down to nothing and have cut my midpay by around 6 dollars. Thankfully i have my parents who can help give me a hand from time to time, so i am okay. But, for the many who work full time there and have a family to support, it is no excuse for these people to get paid so little in a time where our ceo gets a huge bonus when sales nationwide have been declining for 20 months. Frankly i dont blame him because most of us i think in that position would have taken the bonus. If it was me, i probably wouldnt have taken it as a sign of good will to the company but would have totally made up for it the following year if we had a good year or something along the lines. A lot of people post here saying "we need a union" or "things need to change" but i believe that what we lack and have lacked in the past is a strong sense of vision and leadership as well. I am more then willing to be the leader of this group an effort to lead a nationwide campain "if you will let me" in help bringing a sense of real change to sears. like i said in my earlier post i want people to enjoy themselves and have a good time at work. I want them to show up everyday, bust there butt, alwyas be willing to take one for the team and do the right thing. On the otherhand for their loyalty and hard work i want them to be paid for it. You know as a nation that we have a problem when walmart is our biggest private employeer. Those people dont nearly get paid enough to supoort families. We have too many companies who over time are willing to pay people less and when you look around the corner and everyone is paying 8 dollars an hour what are you supposed to do? Thats why we have to fight and take it to the streets as people in the 60's did. Sears could put a postive spin on a unionization too. They could advertise that we have the best service in the retail industry and we care about our associates and pay them top dollar. You see sears could benifit to from a marketing standpoint. It could be a good effort to show people that we are changing back to our old ways and mean business by paying top dollar for top service. We could be the nordstroms of the appliance marker. Think about it. Just remember that when we try and create a union for us that to help push our agenda to try and put a positive spin and sell it to sears ceo and company as a positve change and a good pr(public relations) campain. Of course sears would not jump for joy, but what company would. I am going to try and submit a poll for you guys to see and hopefully vote on so i hope i make it right, wish me luck. P.S. i wrote this quickly as well so sorry in advance for spelling or grammer errors:) Sears matrix aka hopeful new leader of a sears revolution The poll. Do you think one of our main focuses of this site should be using this website as a starting point for creating a union? Please answer yes or no at the end of your post. |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 477
| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 6:10 pm Post subject: | |
| seeing if my classic bump works. | |
Moderator
Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Posts: 113
Location: Cambridge, MA
| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 10:55 pm Post subject: | |
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SM - have you tried the "create a poll" option on this board?
FAQ: How do I create a poll? You'll have to start a new topic for it, but you could drop a link to it here, too. This is just a suggestion - stick with whatever method you are most comfortable with. |
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 916
Location: roaming...
| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 4:23 am Post subject: | |
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SearsMatrix, are you trying to get yourself banned? You can't post intelligent stuff like that here! Puhleeez!
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Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 422
Location: Woosta
| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 4:54 am Post subject: | |
| There's three things that I will always remember searsmatrix for. Long paragraphs is run on sentences, excessive bumping, and the dreaded Woot. But i still don't know what we'd do without you. | |
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 30
Location: Betwixt the green and blue.
| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:12 pm Post subject: | |
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.... I assumed retail worker was for all retail people, but it seems as if this is a Sears-Mostly site, where all of the Sears people know each other and post 75% of the time. I have no problem with this (pointing out things does not equal having a problem with something, for those who would argue otherwise)...
But since the question was put forth... I would like to see the New Retail Worker continue to post articles relevant to work places, but I would think it would be great to further divide the catagories within the different retail stores, and then have a general forum. Maybe even give a page for each store which can be linked from the main index. The "main page" for each store could have the relevant media news in highlight, relevant links or info, and then sub-sections for posting. For instance: * A section for daily job bitching * A section for store-job help, questions, or tips (I will use Target as a reference-- as in, "We are setting Back to School this week, here are some pointers you may have not been told.") * A section for activism links or upcoming events. This could be cross posted with a specific State's IndyMedia.com link. Many people do not know that there are often local protests going on in thier city reguarding unions, strikes, etc. Lets face it-- we all have our adgendas here- from hanging with a clique to recruiting new troops-- further catagorizing would make it easier for people to find what they needed and not be bothered with the stuff they don't need. 
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