Don't take it out on the check out girl/boy

Takoda

But no one else admits to exactly what they do - why is that I wonder?

hbloomers

Maybe because the title of the thread (Don't take it out on the check out girl/boy) implies it is a retail thread, and thus it is reasonable to assume that most people posting here have some experience in retail. What job they do now mightn't have much to do with previous retail experiences.

Jo_F

I used to work in retail, at Asda and then at B&Q, we did have trouble with people at B&Q on a Sunday not wanting to go home, the till system had to be shut down at 4.30, and some people just couldn't appareciate that trading after closing time is actually illegal.

When at Asda, I was supposed to get an unpaid hour for lunch, and there were plenty of times that I clocked out, took an half an hour lunch and clocked back in as I was needed on the shop floor. I was supposed to start at 7am, but as I was generally there just after 6.30, I used to start at about 20 to, I wasn't get paid for those 20 mins a week, so they were getting an hour's unpaid work out of me over the course of 3 weeks, but I liked working for my manager and we had a busy department so I didn't mind.

The breaking point came when I had a bad cold, and left the shop floor for 5 mins to get a drink to take some flu caps with, another manager had a go at me as I had already had my 15 mins breakfast break earlier on, and she really tore a strip out of me, so all those free 20 mins finished at that point, as did only taking 1/2 hour for my lunch break. If they couldn't spare me 5 mins, then I wasn't prepared to give up my time for them.

beth464

Jo_F wrote: »

I used to work in retail, at Asda and then at B&Q, we did have trouble with people at B&Q on a Sunday not wanting to go home, the till system had to be shut down at 4.30, and some people just couldn't appareciate that trading after closing time is actually illegal.

When at Asda, I was supposed to get an unpaid hour for lunch, and there were plenty of times that I clocked out, took an half an hour lunch and clocked back in as I was needed on the shop floor. I was supposed to start at 7am, but as I was generally there just after 6.30, I used to start at about 20 to, I wasn't get paid for those 20 mins a week, so they were getting an hour's unpaid work out of me over the course of 3 weeks, but I liked working for my manager and we had a busy department so I didn't mind.

The breaking point came when I had a bad cold, and left the shop floor for 5 mins to get a drink to take some flu caps with, another manager had a go at me as I had already had my 15 mins breakfast break earlier on, and she really tore a strip out of me, so all those free 20 mins finished at that point, as did only taking 1/2 hour for my lunch break. If they couldn't spare me 5 mins, then I wasn't prepared to give up my time for them.

Yes, that's how I felt. No matter how much you put in, you get very little back. They're not interested in your welfare. I used to work long shifts on the checkouts and we weren't even allowed to keep a bottle of water under the till. I know a few people, myself included, who struggle with blood sugar levels and being made to work 6+ hours without a break on a busy checkout without even a drink is just not on.

melorablack

I worked at argos over christmas one year, when I was working in the back (fetching and carrying items from the warehouse at the back to the desk at the front) we were not even allowed a drink in a 6 hour shift except in the half hour we got for lunch (no breaks allowed). Considering you would be on your feet walking up and down all day I found this extremely unfair. I was glad when christmas was over and I would never work there again.

Cerenia

Wow, the last couple of stories are awful!
I was working in a partially underground videogame store a while ago, and over christmas, our air conditioning broke, but our manager made sure we alternated people taking a drinks order and getting everyone cold drinks, or ice creams, so everyone was kept as best refreshed and chilled as possible dispite the time of year and circumstances. On christmas eve when it was pandemonium, we did the same thing, also with food, we ordered enough pizza for us all to have a good meal, rather than people having to go on lunch and risked being called back early and missing half your lunch just because we were busy. Not something we'd have done all the time, but this occasion, it worked rather well.

vyle

GrammarGirl wrote: »

However, I think many retail workers (not all, but many) didn't choose the job as a career, don't particularly care about the brand, the image or the future of the business and therefore couldn't give a rat's !!! if they leave at 5.30pm on the dot. That's why staying late is a chore to them - they resent it because they didn't choose it.

Please be clear - I'm making sweeping generalisations, I KNOW not all retail workers feel this way. But some do, and a few years ago, when I worked in retail, I resented every last second I had to work late. Couldn't wait to get out!

I chose it, because I hated office work. The politics, changing goalposts, inequality, terrible desks, terrible pay, shocking conditions and the sight of people twice my age crying every day because they were so miserable took its toll. But that's what working at HMRC does to somebody I suppose.

The reason why I don't like staying late is because I have to get a bus that comes once an hour on sundays and on week days stops regular service at 6:07. If a customer decides to dawdle at 6pm for two minutes, that's costing me an hour of already scarce free time.

I sometimes do come in early or stay late when I've agreed it and can time bank it, but if it's against my will, im not being paid and there's no good reason for it, I see it as an hour waiting at the bus stop, when I could have been home.

Cerenia wrote: »

Wow, the last couple of stories are awful!
I was working in a partially underground videogame store a while ago, and over christmas, our air conditioning broke, but our manager made sure we alternated people taking a drinks order and getting everyone cold drinks, or ice creams, so everyone was kept as best refreshed and chilled as possible dispite the time of year and circumstances. On christmas eve when it was pandemonium, we did the same thing, also with food, we ordered enough pizza for us all to have a good meal, rather than people having to go on lunch and risked being called back early and missing half your lunch just because we were busy. Not something we'd have done all the time, but this occasion, it worked rather well.

Sounds like good times. Was it an indy store?

adouglasmhor

Takoda wrote: »

Is it a feature of lower paid jobs that people are not willing to work a minute longer than they are paid to?

Welcome to clock watching Britain! :rolleyes:

I am not getting paid = I will not be working. My work wants me to stay late means they give me time of in lieu or pay me.It's exceptionally rude to come into a premises at closing time and expect staff to be at your beck and call.

I hope you weren't so slapdash about time while enforcing the licensing laws as a copper BTW.

username

At the end of the day, the view I take is that I don't get paid, so it is therefore not in my interest to spend additional time hanging around, dealing with work-related issues when I could be cashing up and out the door at 10 past.

The thing I don't get is why people feel the need to come at about 2 minutes to 9 when the store closes at 9 and come in and dawdle about, taking their own sweet time, instead of realising that the store closes at 9, get what they want quickly and leave.

The store has been open for around 10 hours all day for Christ sake!!! I always lock the door at 5 to the hour and it is strictly exit only.
Perhaps if the company were to improve its conditions and pay me for staying on, then I'd be more willing.

I think you'll find I am not alone in my views in this.

GrammarGirl

Takoda wrote: »

But no one else admits to exactly what they do - why is that I wonder?

I'm a copywriter.