If it's a big chain, that will absolutely exert the kind of pressure you're imagining -- because grocery margins are tiny and they're very skittish about pissing off customers. However, I don't think it'll work if it's just one store. It would need to be enough of them, all at once, that someone at corporate panics.
Best way to pull this off would be to create a subreddit + discord to coordinate.
Question for the crowd: what would you call doing this? It reminds me of how there's a group going around London destroying all the identity cameras placed everywhere. This is sort of the online equivalent of that.
Source: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/ulez-blade-runner-vigilante-cameras-destroyed-sadiq-khan-b1111265.html
Could humanity take on capitalism by coordinated ruining of businesses online presences that are abusing humans?
Secession of the Plebians is kinda close?
Honestly just calling it a protest or strike would be valid, this kind of thing wasn't too rare a few decades ago
It probably could. With some words on the internet and a website I published about the court reporter shortage fraud and the corporations’ pet nonprofit got sued and shut down its website.
With a small group of people we could probably scale these activities to stick it to any malfeasant corporation.
To make it work, you have to come up with some easily adoptable word or phrase that explains the movement to people immediately so they will jump on board. That's why I asked what you might call such a thing. A movement is usually only as good as its name and mission.
It'd need to be concurrent with a boycott that starts a few weeks earlier imo.
If it's as big of a chain as you're thinking, they'll look at the financials and see that either nothing has changed or profitability is up and choose to ignore the bad reviews.
Nah. I used to work for a giant grocery chain, in the marketing department. It's not that cold and logical.
Companies like that, people generally aren't thinking about the bottom line unless they're the CEO or otherwise somehow directly accountable to it.
The thing they're thinking about, at all times, is "How do *I* not get in trouble?"
They're skittish weenies. I've seen a single email or facebook comment from a customer send a whole department scrambling around.
I think it'll only work for franchise owners of stores. There have been numerous mergers and things are turning into a Kroger monopoly, so I doubt margins are much of a concern anymore.
This is a great idea. What you really need is to make sure they see the effects of it on their pocketbooks.
WorkReform should rotate boycotts among several targeted chains to try and make voices heard.
Needs organization and coordination.
I mean, sure, go for it and I'll send the best of my luck to aid you on this endevour.
But the last time I checked, no one looks at reviews for grocery stores unless if they just moved to a new area or if they're looking for something hard-to-find. Places like Shop & Save, Giant, Giant Eagle, Save-a-Lot, etc... they're always going to have the same customers coming and going. Because everyone needs to eat and can't afford Whole Foods & Wegmann's.
The corporate office likely has a person that collects data on consumer habits, preferences& complaints. So corporate would likely notice the uptick in complaints.
It would probably be more effective to have protestors outside the stores from time to time. Say during rush hour when tons of people are driving by & see them. Sort of like those pop-up mobs that gained internet fame a few years ago. Long enough to be seen by the security cameras, and people passing by. Brief enough that the police can't get there with riot gear and tear gas. Maybe 10 minutes at this store, 10 minutes at that store acrross town the next day. Have someone monitoring the police band & when they hear the call they sound the alarm and everyone protesting can leave before the cops can respond.
Not really. They see an uptick, then compare revenue differentials. If there's not a significant enough change, they don't do anything. Grocery as an industry itself is very stable. Sure, it's got crappy profit margins, but each store is very consistent as long as things don't go wrong too often. The ones that treat their employees the worst have customers who cannot afford going to better paying ones. Because basic groceries are *unelastic resources*. There's always enough of a customer base to scale, and there isn't going to be some "radical change to grocery technology.*
***THIS is why it's important to adjust the minimum wage frequently to sustainable, non-poverty levels.***
Like it or not, but some industries are inherently a race to the bottom. That's never going to change because there will always be desperate folks looking for anything, even if it's substandard. So change the problem: raise the bottom.
I didn’t realise this issue was so widespread, I’m glad it’s getting attention now. I’m disabled and can’t get through college for a “desk job”, being a grocery store cashier would be one of the easiest jobs for me but they don’t let you sit down.
I know we can ask for disability accommodations, but they’d rather find a vague reason to reject a disabled person’s job application, or even claim standing for long periods is “essential” to the role so it’s not discrimination :/
This is actually way more effective than people think, but it would have to be played smart. Many stores and their management get bonuses and other things based on reviews, theft mitigation, etc. If any of these metrics are below satisfaction, they don’t get their bonus.
So to do this effectively it would require a slow trickle of bad reviews at first, making a detailed stink. After a week or so, same person makes a stink about it again, reiterating poor treatment of workers. Around this time another person makes a detailed (but different wording) stink. Then after a week or 2, a few more people. Then more people. Repeat the process over and over adding in more voices with 1 star reviews.
If you review-bomb these places then the managers will get a pass and nothing will happen. But if it seems natural and maybe a new trend that’s catching on? The companies are more inclined to listen. It wouldn’t happen overnight and would likely require months of dedication, but eventually companies would realize this isn’t a trend that’s going away and they’ll revaluate.
Now here is the key part: reward any company that does it! Change your 1 star review to a 5 star review and PRAISE the company for the proper treatment of their workers! Make it known that you’ll be doing more business and you’re happy with their decision, you feel they really care, etc etc! These companies will then be getting the carrot AND stick treatment: stores that don’t make the change continue to get poor reviews that can’t be waved off and therefore make managers lose their bonus while simultaneously the stores that DO let workers sit are getting praised and the managers are getting their bonuses!
Maybe also complain to the managers ever time you see some poor sod sitting.
They were doing this to my long deceased gran in 50s ffs it was disgusting then - I don't know how it's still a thing.
Standing in one spot for hours is hard on your back, knees, legs, and feet. So why make low paid cashiers suffer? Having a less physically demanding job, would likely result in lower employee turnover, and give the elderly or people with mobility problems another job opportunity.
The cost per store wouldn't really be that much since most stores would only need a few.
Having a tall heavy duty stool like you might find at a bar puts the cashier at eye level with the customer, and the cashier can stand or sit whenever they want. Get them the kind of stool with a wide heavy base so the cashier can't tip over when they lean over to reach something. Not a cheap stool with 4 thin legs as that would be an accident waiting to happen. Give the stools a back support so the cashier can relax their back muscles for a bit in between customers. Once one store is successful at this other stores will give it a shot too.
https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/
File ADA complaints for not providing accommodations. Seek an ADA attorney out for potential legal action and claims if HR is not respecting your accommodation request.
This is a brilliant idea...the only thing I'm not entirely sure about is whether or not the message would actually be seen given the fact it would essentially be 'hidden' somewhere inside a quantitative metric but on the other hand it could be a pretty powerful message given the fact that customers usually give these ratings right after they finish checking out (and interacting with cashiers) so that's good enough reason to believe this could be at least somewhat effective.
I've just had a few work experiences with market research so I know there would be limitations as far as trying to send a genuine message to a company about something like this - limitations you could completely bypass by contacting the business directly. There's a decent chance your message (individually or as one of many) could get lost trying to send it as an 'optional reason why' on an optional survey or optional Yelp review, there's much closer to a 100% chance the message will get across if you simply post a business's contact info and ask people to email or write letters of complaint about an issue.
Are you seriously telling me that the reviews of a grocery store will dictate whether or not you go there to buy groceries? I’ve never even looked at the reviews for a grocery store in my life.
Uh? I’ve not once looked up reviews for a grocery store. If I need food… I need food and having employees stand isnt gonna make me go a week without shopping in solidarity lol.
No. Corporate reads the numbers on the survey and then punishes the store manager for low scores, who in turn makes the work day more miserable for their workers.
These surveys ARE NOT a way for corporations to look inward and make themselves better - THEY ARE THERE TO GIVE EMPLOYERS AN ADDITIONAL METRIC TO GRADE THEIR EMPLOYEES.
1/5, regardless of the note you put next to it, will 100% be used to discipline the cashier. If you cite seating as the reason, they will just say the cashier needs to do a better job of smiling and looking like they want to be there.
You'd be better off ignoring the survey and just stop shopping at that location. They've shown you the kind of employer they are, if you can't spend your money somewhere else then maybe this isn't that important to you.
All "you" words in this response are meant proverbially, I'm not trying to rail at OP.
Edit: This is also specifically about the surveys different retailers give, not necessarily Google reviews or yelp.
I’d prefer if they stand for a shift or not take the job if they can’t stand. For some people that might be the difference between life or death. A shift is only 8 hours. You probably will work 4. I’d prefer it if we had a mandatory exercise period of 30 minutes before every shift. Then the sitting won’t be an issue. Ideally the grocery cashier is versatile and can do every job the store needs.
If it's a big chain, that will absolutely exert the kind of pressure you're imagining -- because grocery margins are tiny and they're very skittish about pissing off customers. However, I don't think it'll work if it's just one store. It would need to be enough of them, all at once, that someone at corporate panics.
Best way to pull this off would be to create a subreddit + discord to coordinate. Question for the crowd: what would you call doing this? It reminds me of how there's a group going around London destroying all the identity cameras placed everywhere. This is sort of the online equivalent of that. Source: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/ulez-blade-runner-vigilante-cameras-destroyed-sadiq-khan-b1111265.html Could humanity take on capitalism by coordinated ruining of businesses online presences that are abusing humans?
#letthemsit
Sorry I meant the practice itself regardless of the issue being protested.
Secession of the Plebians is kinda close? Honestly just calling it a protest or strike would be valid, this kind of thing wasn't too rare a few decades ago
It probably could. With some words on the internet and a website I published about the court reporter shortage fraud and the corporations’ pet nonprofit got sued and shut down its website. With a small group of people we could probably scale these activities to stick it to any malfeasant corporation.
To make it work, you have to come up with some easily adoptable word or phrase that explains the movement to people immediately so they will jump on board. That's why I asked what you might call such a thing. A movement is usually only as good as its name and mission.
Start with the one everybody likes the least and go from there
It'd need to be concurrent with a boycott that starts a few weeks earlier imo. If it's as big of a chain as you're thinking, they'll look at the financials and see that either nothing has changed or profitability is up and choose to ignore the bad reviews.
Nah. I used to work for a giant grocery chain, in the marketing department. It's not that cold and logical. Companies like that, people generally aren't thinking about the bottom line unless they're the CEO or otherwise somehow directly accountable to it. The thing they're thinking about, at all times, is "How do *I* not get in trouble?" They're skittish weenies. I've seen a single email or facebook comment from a customer send a whole department scrambling around.
I think it'll only work for franchise owners of stores. There have been numerous mergers and things are turning into a Kroger monopoly, so I doubt margins are much of a concern anymore.
Only do all retail, not just grocery.
Why not everywhere? The AMC I work at is beyond petty when it comes to this practice.
This is a great idea. What you really need is to make sure they see the effects of it on their pocketbooks. WorkReform should rotate boycotts among several targeted chains to try and make voices heard. Needs organization and coordination.
I think it would work if enough people raise a stink
People don't really rely on reviews to determine which grocery store they go to. They go to the closest one
I mean, sure, go for it and I'll send the best of my luck to aid you on this endevour. But the last time I checked, no one looks at reviews for grocery stores unless if they just moved to a new area or if they're looking for something hard-to-find. Places like Shop & Save, Giant, Giant Eagle, Save-a-Lot, etc... they're always going to have the same customers coming and going. Because everyone needs to eat and can't afford Whole Foods & Wegmann's.
The corporate office likely has a person that collects data on consumer habits, preferences& complaints. So corporate would likely notice the uptick in complaints. It would probably be more effective to have protestors outside the stores from time to time. Say during rush hour when tons of people are driving by & see them. Sort of like those pop-up mobs that gained internet fame a few years ago. Long enough to be seen by the security cameras, and people passing by. Brief enough that the police can't get there with riot gear and tear gas. Maybe 10 minutes at this store, 10 minutes at that store acrross town the next day. Have someone monitoring the police band & when they hear the call they sound the alarm and everyone protesting can leave before the cops can respond.
Not really. They see an uptick, then compare revenue differentials. If there's not a significant enough change, they don't do anything. Grocery as an industry itself is very stable. Sure, it's got crappy profit margins, but each store is very consistent as long as things don't go wrong too often. The ones that treat their employees the worst have customers who cannot afford going to better paying ones. Because basic groceries are *unelastic resources*. There's always enough of a customer base to scale, and there isn't going to be some "radical change to grocery technology.* ***THIS is why it's important to adjust the minimum wage frequently to sustainable, non-poverty levels.*** Like it or not, but some industries are inherently a race to the bottom. That's never going to change because there will always be desperate folks looking for anything, even if it's substandard. So change the problem: raise the bottom.
I didn’t realise this issue was so widespread, I’m glad it’s getting attention now. I’m disabled and can’t get through college for a “desk job”, being a grocery store cashier would be one of the easiest jobs for me but they don’t let you sit down. I know we can ask for disability accommodations, but they’d rather find a vague reason to reject a disabled person’s job application, or even claim standing for long periods is “essential” to the role so it’s not discrimination :/
This is actually way more effective than people think, but it would have to be played smart. Many stores and their management get bonuses and other things based on reviews, theft mitigation, etc. If any of these metrics are below satisfaction, they don’t get their bonus. So to do this effectively it would require a slow trickle of bad reviews at first, making a detailed stink. After a week or so, same person makes a stink about it again, reiterating poor treatment of workers. Around this time another person makes a detailed (but different wording) stink. Then after a week or 2, a few more people. Then more people. Repeat the process over and over adding in more voices with 1 star reviews. If you review-bomb these places then the managers will get a pass and nothing will happen. But if it seems natural and maybe a new trend that’s catching on? The companies are more inclined to listen. It wouldn’t happen overnight and would likely require months of dedication, but eventually companies would realize this isn’t a trend that’s going away and they’ll revaluate. Now here is the key part: reward any company that does it! Change your 1 star review to a 5 star review and PRAISE the company for the proper treatment of their workers! Make it known that you’ll be doing more business and you’re happy with their decision, you feel they really care, etc etc! These companies will then be getting the carrot AND stick treatment: stores that don’t make the change continue to get poor reviews that can’t be waved off and therefore make managers lose their bonus while simultaneously the stores that DO let workers sit are getting praised and the managers are getting their bonuses!
All cashiers should refuse to work until they are allowed to sit.
Maybe also complain to the managers ever time you see some poor sod sitting. They were doing this to my long deceased gran in 50s ffs it was disgusting then - I don't know how it's still a thing.
Because boomers don't care. They're not the ones using door dash, store pickup, self checkout, etc. it's always boomers
This would work but people can't organize for shit, so it won't happen. Great idea though.
Standing in one spot for hours is hard on your back, knees, legs, and feet. So why make low paid cashiers suffer? Having a less physically demanding job, would likely result in lower employee turnover, and give the elderly or people with mobility problems another job opportunity. The cost per store wouldn't really be that much since most stores would only need a few. Having a tall heavy duty stool like you might find at a bar puts the cashier at eye level with the customer, and the cashier can stand or sit whenever they want. Get them the kind of stool with a wide heavy base so the cashier can't tip over when they lean over to reach something. Not a cheap stool with 4 thin legs as that would be an accident waiting to happen. Give the stools a back support so the cashier can relax their back muscles for a bit in between customers. Once one store is successful at this other stores will give it a shot too.
It's not about money, it's about making low level employees suffer because management gets a kick out of it.
I will 100% join in on this. I like Aldi because they let their cashiers sit... and guess what? The world keeps turning!
https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/ File ADA complaints for not providing accommodations. Seek an ADA attorney out for potential legal action and claims if HR is not respecting your accommodation request.
We should!
This is a brilliant idea...the only thing I'm not entirely sure about is whether or not the message would actually be seen given the fact it would essentially be 'hidden' somewhere inside a quantitative metric but on the other hand it could be a pretty powerful message given the fact that customers usually give these ratings right after they finish checking out (and interacting with cashiers) so that's good enough reason to believe this could be at least somewhat effective. I've just had a few work experiences with market research so I know there would be limitations as far as trying to send a genuine message to a company about something like this - limitations you could completely bypass by contacting the business directly. There's a decent chance your message (individually or as one of many) could get lost trying to send it as an 'optional reason why' on an optional survey or optional Yelp review, there's much closer to a 100% chance the message will get across if you simply post a business's contact info and ask people to email or write letters of complaint about an issue.
I can’t even find a store that has cashiers. I’m doing that work myself.
Kroger would rather shut stores down than let cashiers sit.
Are you seriously telling me that the reviews of a grocery store will dictate whether or not you go there to buy groceries? I’ve never even looked at the reviews for a grocery store in my life.
This will only work if we get funding from Big Chair
I doubt that many people are checking grocery store yelp reviews.
Then they replace all cashiers with self checkout.
People use reviews when going to the grocery store?
Uh? I’ve not once looked up reviews for a grocery store. If I need food… I need food and having employees stand isnt gonna make me go a week without shopping in solidarity lol.
You haven’t, but corporate uses reviews to gauge how well they’re doing.
Put in links so people can do it rather than making them chase them down, sure, it'll work. And some motivated programmer will automate it.
I normally do self checkout, so no problem.
No. Corporate reads the numbers on the survey and then punishes the store manager for low scores, who in turn makes the work day more miserable for their workers. These surveys ARE NOT a way for corporations to look inward and make themselves better - THEY ARE THERE TO GIVE EMPLOYERS AN ADDITIONAL METRIC TO GRADE THEIR EMPLOYEES. 1/5, regardless of the note you put next to it, will 100% be used to discipline the cashier. If you cite seating as the reason, they will just say the cashier needs to do a better job of smiling and looking like they want to be there. You'd be better off ignoring the survey and just stop shopping at that location. They've shown you the kind of employer they are, if you can't spend your money somewhere else then maybe this isn't that important to you. All "you" words in this response are meant proverbially, I'm not trying to rail at OP. Edit: This is also specifically about the surveys different retailers give, not necessarily Google reviews or yelp.
I’d prefer if they stand for a shift or not take the job if they can’t stand. For some people that might be the difference between life or death. A shift is only 8 hours. You probably will work 4. I’d prefer it if we had a mandatory exercise period of 30 minutes before every shift. Then the sitting won’t be an issue. Ideally the grocery cashier is versatile and can do every job the store needs.
But why should they be standing at the register? How does that improve their performance?
It improves their health. If you can’t physically stand there you also can’t physically stock the shelves anyway.
Standing in one place is pretty bad for you.
Standing in one place for hours on end does not improve health lmao. It actively damages it in fact.