Big rant ahead

I'm ashamed to say I've worked for both Woolworths and Coles, both cut from the same rotten bit of cloth.

I recently had to fill out a questionnaire that asked me what I've learned in my time with them: I've learned that other employers aren't so bad after all, I've gained empathy for people who work for these companies, and I've built some fortitude I guess.

I worked nightfill then as an assistant manager at Woolies and it was hellish for many reasons.

I'm currently at liquorland now and they're running a slave ship with a skeleton crew. At Christmas. They simply refused to hire more team members even though we make about 100k a week, and now they've had to lay in the grave they dug because half of us have covid, one is down south, one is overseas and the store is had to close for a day so they lost about 20k in potential sales. It brings a smile to my face.

I'm a casual, and when I told my manager I couldn't work a day in two weeks time he said sorry he needs me because there's nobody else available. I said that's not my problem, I'm a casual and I'm telling you I can't work it. He begged me, tough shit. Somehow I was the bad guy for doing what I am entitled to do, one of the benefits of being casual.

Often they will leave me in the store on my own for half the day and pressure me not to take my lunch break (they will pay you for it but still it's a 1st world country you should be able to take a lunch break)

I walk past other retailers and they have three times as many staff with half the customers.

Their computers and software are ancient, constantly breaking down and taking days or weeks to fix.

My shirt got ripped while I was unloading stuff the other day and when I tried to order a new one I discovered that it would come out of my pay. I've been there for 7 months and they can't even afford me another shirt. I'll keep wearing the ripped one.

The online training is pathetic and there is basically no real life training. I had to ask them to teach me how to do everything and they grudgingly showed me as if I was supposed to magically figure it out.

It's not just one bad manager, I've been in multiple stores and it's basically all the same bullshit.

They even left an 18 year old girl on her own to close a store without telling her how to open the safe or what the alarm code and she called me up crying.

One coworker was underpaid by 16 hours a month ago and they're still chasing after their pay

Once I grabbed my bag and starting walking out after they tried to deny my lunch break but I turned around only because I knew it would put even more load on my team mates.

Every retail job I've had was dysfunctional to some degree but Coles and Woolworths are the bottom of the barrel.

Money grubbing scum.

They preach the importance of safety and wellbeing but the ridiculous KPIs set by these vulturous executives who get paid 4 times what we do are impossible to meet while working safely. Just look at Woolworths recent warehouse worker strike.

Meanwhile underpaying farmers and delivery drivers and price gouging the public during a cost of living crisis and revealing what cold blooded reptiles they are when confronted about it.

There should be at least one state owned supermarket chain to ensure that people can buy essentials at reasonable prices, during pandemics and recessions and whatever dark times lay ahead.

And they don't seem to understand the simple fact that a tree will not continue to beat fruit if you neglect to water it.

Or maybe they think there is an endless supply of desperate workers who will jump through their hoops.

When you're under the gun the customer service slips - If I'm supposed to put away 6 cages by myself I will focus on that over customers, sometimes I even find myself getting annoyed and ignoring customers who should be the focus in a retail store.

These leeches will drain you for every drop of blood they can - don't give them more than they deserve.

Plus unless you're vying for a promotion (which I'm not because I'm jumping off this sinking ship as soon as I line up something else) then there is literally no reward for working hard. No financial incentive and often it's not even acknowledged.

'Guys we did over 150k this week'

Literally why the fuck should I give a shit? The regional manager gets to visit Fiji with his fat bonus now? All it means is that we are run off our feet every shift and leave work exhausted.

So I act my wage now and take breaks and work at a reasonable pace and if that's not good enough for them they can fire me, it will be like releasing me from prison. I also make sure I shop anywhere but coles and woolworths where I can

If everyone had this attitude they wouldn't be able to make such unreasonable demands.

My experience seems to line up with everyone else I've spoken to who worked for these tyrants

Stay in school kids and don't end up working for a dogshit company like Colesworth