Whatcha thinking about now?

[iris]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

Do. Not. Remind. Me. I've been grouching about this all week. All because stores wants us to buy more. I giving homemade gifts to everyone for Christmas this year out of pure contrariness.

It's not that bad out there, really went to the mall. Lots of people in fona, but no more busy than usual other than that... I did hear someone say it was crazy in Copenhagen. I have a few home made gifts, but I'm afraid store-bought gifts are expected in parts of my family. I don't mind much, I like giving presents as long as they make people happy.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

I once worked for a place that did all kind of shady things, like not letting us take a lunch break (we could bring in food, and eat in between customers, but not leave the premises or anything), and then dock us 1/2 hour per 8 hour day, because by law they had to provide a 15 min. break every 4 hours.

[Raphaeline]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

It amazes me what businesses can get away with. I couldn't wrap my head around it when someone told me that WalMart employees are not even allowed to mention unions there - they have to sign a contract promising not to unionize. That's villain territory.

[anunitu]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

This is why having a book of labor codes is so useful. Some company's would count on you not knowing your rights as a worker. Another way I was protected because they knew I had the book of codes,I had used it a few times to point out their "Mistake" concerning work rights. They seldom tried to get over on the workers because of that fact.

[Rick]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

It amazes me what businesses can get away with. I couldn't wrap my head around it when someone told me that WalMart employees are not even allowed to mention unions there - they have to sign a contract promising not to unionize. That's villain territory.

I work for WalMart. This is false. WalMart is a soul sucking international trillion dollar corporation, and they do frown on using the "U" word (and just might find some other reason to let you go; they're absolutely anal about absences), but they do not require employees to sign a contract saying you promise not to join a union. WalMart would, I believe, just pull out of states that aren't 'right to work' before they would have unionized workers. WalMart has a tall stack of applications for each job, filling an entire store with new employees would take about a day.

[anunitu]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

California has a VERY strong labor code protecting workers. One thing also,if you were to file a complaint about something at work to the labor board,then they(Job) could not really mess with you because unless they had a MAJOR infraction it could be considered retaliation for your filing(covers you for about a year). and you could file simple issues periodically just to keep them(Your Bosses) from messing with you. They(My work) did once try this because of my labor code information,It stopped very quickly when I mentioned the retaliation clause.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

In smallish companies, if you complain, they'll find a reason to get rid of you. There are always people ready to take your job. I remember places telling us not to talk to union reps. One place, I was a salaried Branch Mgr., "exempt" from overtime, and we just marked an electronic time sheet saying we worked a full day, not the exact hours. I found out many years later that there are stipulations to that exemption, and my office didn't always fit the qualifications, so I got cheated out of quite a bit. Too much time had passed to do anything about it.

[DanieMarie]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

It amazes me what businesses can get away with. I couldn't wrap my head around it when someone told me that WalMart employees are not even allowed to mention unions there - they have to sign a contract promising not to unionize. That's villain territory.

It's crazy, too, because they even get away with it in Canada. Most provinces have labour codes that make it pretty hard to fire someone if they want to unionize (though, I guess they can fire you and claim it was for another reason), but they can always just close the whole friggin' store if employees unionize: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...tory-1.2689646

The Supreme Court sided with the employees, but still. Plus, it took almost a decade to get through court.

I feel really blessed to be here in Germany. Unions are still super powerful here and even hold sway in non-unionized workplaces. Like, they lobby the government for higher minimum wages in their sector, designate representatives at various businesses (even if the other employees there are not union members), and make huge cases for workers all over the country. There are still problems here with labour rights (especially when it comes to sub-contracted immigrant workers and freelancers), but part-time and full-time employees can always be sure that their contracted hours will be honoured, they'll get their breaks, overtime pay, sick days, and vacation days, and all that jazz.

[MoonRaven]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

Shift 1: 6pm Thanksgiving to 3 AM Black Friday
Shift 2: 1PM Black Friday to 10PM Black Friday

My store opened at 6 yesterday runs straight till 10 tonight (not counting closing time) but we don't have the personnel to do that without doubleshifting people.

Thanks for the clarification .

- - - Updated - - -

It's not that bad out there, really went to the mall. Lots of people in fona, but no more busy than usual other than that... I did hear someone say it was crazy in Copenhagen. I have a few home made gifts, but I'm afraid store-bought gifts are expected in parts of my family. I don't mind much, I like giving presents as long as they make people happy.

I have some "friends" who wanted me to go to Copenhagen with them and shop!?! I mean, had they completely forgotten who they were talking to? Apparently so, because I'm about as likely to go shopping on this day as I am to vote Liberal Alliance.

[Medusa]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

I'm still not entirely convinced that this is a legal scheduling practice for a non full-time employee...

Sadly it is. There has to be a minimum of 8 hours between shifts. One of our gals closed till 10pm and 6am was back.

Me? I just woke up. The phone is off for the day and I still have my jammies on

[Raphaeline]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

I work for WalMart. This is false. WalMart is a soul sucking international trillion dollar corporation, and they do frown on using the "U" word (and just might find some other reason to let you go; they're absolutely anal about absences), but they do not require employees to sign a contract saying you promise not to join a union. WalMart would, I believe, just pull out of states that aren't 'right to work' before they would have unionized workers. WalMart has a tall stack of applications for each job, filling an entire store with new employees would take about a day.

My husband worked there for a while about a decade ago and said he and a friend that worked there together had to sign one. I don't know if it makes a difference that Kentucky isn't a right-to-work state, and maybe they can make employees sign whatever they please. But I also read in Nickel and Dimed that she had to sign something like that, too.

[Malflick]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

my family finally has a blu-ray player. Its not so much I care about blu-ray as a format, but I do like that we can finally go buy blu-ray disks when they are on sale cheaper than DVDs :P.... And I can watch the handful of blu-rays I already own I got as gifts lol.

[Rick]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

My husband worked there for a while about a decade ago and said he and a friend that worked there together had to sign one. I don't know if it makes a difference that Kentucky isn't a right-to-work state, and maybe they can make employees sign whatever they please. But I also read in Nickel and Dimed that she had to sign something like that, too.

Might be the difference in policies ten years ago, might be the difference in working in a right-to-work state (for any that may not know, simply means you cannot be forced to join a union, or forced to pay union dues if your company is union and you don't want to join) and a closed-shop state (to be employed by a union company, you have no choice but to pay union dues, whether you sign a union card or not). As in all things in life, there are pros and cons to both.

[Heka]

You just need to come live in Australia, MO. We don't have Black Friday. It doesn't even exist here. You'd never have to work a Black Friday again.

Don't say that prematurely..... I got so many emails about black friday sales from .au websites....

[Shahaku]

Re: What Are You Thinking About?

I'm making Black Bean, Hominy, and Sweet Potato Soup, courtesy of Parents Need to Eat Too by Debbie Koenig. It's probably one of my favorite recipes from the book. And I finally got a mortar and pestal so I can grind the coriander myself. Yum. Trying to clean for a Thanksgiving dinner with friends. Baby is now up from nap so we'll see how that goes. Woo!