Utility workers are usually treated like slaves, at least that's how it is at my Meijers. We hardly get any recognition for the work we do, and are usually looked down upon. Calling in is a pain and unless you physically can't get out of bed, they're down your throat. When you do call in, no one cares. Also, holdovers during holidays are to be expected, especially if you're not already working eight and a half.
Turnovers are extremely high. It's in part to the actual work and the management. It's not an easy job and someone has to be determined to stay at it.
If you're a service runner, you're expected to be a janitor, cart pusher and a million other things. If it's a really busy day like a Saturday or a holiday and you have the beeper, you minus well put away your vest and rope because you won't be going outside anytime soon.
Management doesn't care if you're in high school or college. They will schedule some people over their allotted hours while giving some people a four hour shift one day a week. THEN they wonder why there aren't more carts in the corral.
They say we can't work in groups like two or three because "it's a distraction from the job" but really it's not. We bring in more carts because we encourage each other. If management catches us taking a breather for even thirty seconds, we get yelled at because we're not killing ourselves. You'd think we'd just committed a serious crime by the way they treat us sometimes.
Because you're supposedly the lowest on the totem pole, you're not respected and you're pitied. I've only ever had one SC consistently tell me I've been doing a good job and that I'm a hard worker. If they catch you with your cell phone, you're yelled at, even if you're checking the time.
