Thread regarding Sam's Club layoffs

Luv this thread!

Just wait…. You’ll get to your 20 year mark and they will find some way to can you. Gave Sams almost 20yrs. Was a GM for 10 of those years. Fired without warning or explanation. Never had even 1 coaching, write up, open door, etc. NOTHING. Still have no idea what I did, they refused to say anything. My MM truly failed me. I thought the same as you and that nothing was ever as bad as some people made it seem. How naive I was. I know I was a damn good GM, took a negative running comp store to record breaking profits and sales. They had to bring in a “crisis team” for a few days after my termination because my associates were so shaken up. I cared, TRULY cared for every single associate and the business like they were my own family and my own company. And they destroyed my life. It will happen, give it time. There’s a reason my long time associates of any rank don’t put their years on their badge… it’s a target.

LOL!

Looks like the GM went on full retreat. He was losing big time so probably the first smart thing he did or said on this thread. Maybe his generals ordered him back in for a court martial.

The OP must have failed his supervisor's demands to put down the uprising on this board by demonstrating the superiority of corporate logic and was probably then terminated after 30 years of service. Serves him right for preaching false gospel on a forum of the enlightened.

LOL!

He won't answer those questions! And even if he did don't expect anything but a big pile of corporate approved cr-p.

Questions for OP

Have you been instructed to notify the company via the Labor Relation's Hotline and/or The Union Hotline of any possible organizing or union concerns?

Do you believe you (or anyone) could get better pay or benefits by using the open door policy?

Why do you think unions work for electrician, welders, teachers, etc but not for retail workers?

Not OP here. Thank you Timmy. Thank you.

I speak in a condescending manner because I don't believe you are who you say you are or in the honesty of your posts. If you really started with this company at a rate of $6.25, then you know how much the culture of this company has changed over the years. Sam's Club/Walmart used to be a great place to work back in the 80's and 90's. I was there. I find it disingenuous of somebody who has been around for as long as you claim to act as if they are ignorant of the trend of the company shedding their long-term people. That leads me to believe that you most likely hold a position in the home office and are here in a futile attempt to quell the sentiment behind the very frequent mention of unions on this board.

There was a time when an hourly could use the open door. That day is long passed. The Sam's Club management of today uses only intimidation and arrogance to control their people. I have never in my life been a fan of labor unions; however, today's work force in this company desperately needs union representation to offer them even a glimmer of hope of getting a fair shake out of this company. This is coming from the same guy who only about a dozen years ago was singled out by my colleagues as an a$$ kisser for standing up and openly proclaiming that I honestly believed that Sam's Club/Walmart was the best retail job out there. I still believe that was true in another time.

I speak to you with condescension because you are a representative of the company that now treats their workforce only with condescension and bullying. I experienced it myself and watched dozens of my colleagues lose their jobs in a publicly humiliating manner through no fault of their own and delivered by a corporate clone who exhibited absolutely no empathy for good people who had served the company well. I escaped that fate, but just barely.

I believe your motivation is to get ahead in your job and to please and appease your immediate supervisor. Mine is to speak my truth and try to give those long-term people who remain with the company the courage to do what they need to do whether that is to move on or to organize. I'm frankly hoping for the latter.

As to my position or identity, the company is already well aware of who I am.

@Timmy

Why do you speak with a condescending demeanor?

Why can you not accept or appreciate another opinion?

The name calling, the bullying, why all the hate?

A shocking surprise for you- when I was a cashier making 6.25- I still didn’t need to be part of a union lol
I still used the open door
I have not and will not need someone to voice my concerns or opinions. I will speak for myself and stand up for myself.

That’s crazy that you got Called out by your MM.

What position do you have the company?
How long have you been with the company?
Why does it appear you are disgruntled?

Just curious- if you want to spin it back on me, that’s fine. Just genuinely curious.

I’m sorry your long term associates have “disappeared “. I’m fortunate to not be in the same boat 🛶.

Good movie - great quote!!

Sorry OP. I've still gotta call BS on you. You come on here and say that a union would not benefit you. Of course it wouldn't! You're a self-proclaimed salaried member of management whose duty it is to quell any suspicion of union activity. You're one of the guys who will defend closing a store for "plumbing problems" when such activity has become evident. Further, you of all people know that anything you choose to post on this site is anything but anonymous. If the company wants to know who is posting what on this site we all know that they will find out. At one point, I personally received a phone call from a former market manager immediately after posting on this site who claimed they just wanted to know how I was doing and was curious about how my new position was going. Right! So anyway, you know that they know so you only post things that support their positions and therefore your job.

Anybody with half a brain can see through your transparent (and mostly devoid of specifics and tangibles) posts. Honestly, your posts go on and on without actually ever saying anything. That clearly makes you a manager of some level in this company for sure. You are the company cheerleader with an "Awe shucks" persona who is supposed to make us see the virtue in the way the company conducts itself in its treatment of its workers. The only problem with that is that the workers all have eyes and ears and first hand knowledge of the way this company operates. We read Susan Chamber's words. We saw how she rose through the ranks of the company even after that memo was leaked to the media. We saw the long-term associates disappear one by one in short order. We saw how the company eliminated 40% of its senior pharmacy staff. We saw what happened to our cash office personnel and to the PTC.

You remind me of a Jack Nicholson line from the movie "As Good As it Gets".
"Don't sell crazy here, we're all stocked up!"

I glad you've convinced yourself and hopefully even your bosses, cuz your lines ain't fooling anybody else.

Just a thought

Maybe 🤔 I truly am sincere and telling the truth. People can be so funny.

I simply shared my experiences, what did it did not work for me, what has been good or
Not good for me, opened up to help answer any questions I could.

When you read a leadership book- we are reading about someone’s or other individuals experiences - just sharing mine

If me sharing what I know to be my experiences makes me what you call a “clone” and you feel better for it- than so be it lol

The coolest part about where we live is the right to our own opinions. I can’t tell you how many of these I have read of the years- I appreciate different opinions- but I will tell you I have never belittled or down talked someone else’s opinion or thought.

I will share my opinion or experiences. If it is different, that is ok,

I agree on leadership qualities- there can be far more impactful ones- on my experiences,
The basic ones have been great and successful in building a strong foundation. Again- I don’t claim anything to be perfection or 100% there. But I’ll keep on Keepin!

I agree with your statement on unions. I agree with all you state on helping workers out.

Just in my personal experience I have not seen where it would be or could be a benefit for me. I 100% can see with electrician, welders, teaching, etc where union could be a huge benefits.

Do I truly believe that there is, will be, has been different execs that will or have made bad calls that will benefit the company more than the people that hold it up- absolutely.

My thing was sharing my experiences and looking to answer any questions I could. Not crusade for the haters lol

Started with the company making $6.25, I was able to grow, it has been good for me and my family - I know that is not the same story for everyone.
But this has been mine.

From open door, aes, age questions, schedule questions etc I’ll do my best to answer what I know and what I have learned.

Come on, guys. Take it easy on the clone. He's only used to fielding questions where those in attendance shower him in praise and agree with his every word. He's not used to an audience capable of original thought or the ability to question his supposed omnipotent authority. He expects that from the associates in his club and he serves it up to his superiors without ever entertaining the idea of questioning the status quo.

Pity him.

I've been educating management on what their company stands for for years. You might want to check out the words of Wal-Mart's recently retired Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer on the value of long-term associates according the The New York Times:

"In the memorandum, M. Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart's executive vice president for benefits, also recommends reducing 401(k) contributions and wooing younger, and presumably healthier, workers by offering education benefits. The memo voices concern that workers with seven years' seniority earn more than workers with one year's seniority, but are no more productive.

To discourage unhealthy job applicants, Ms. Chambers suggests that Wal-Mart arrange for "all jobs to include some physical activity (e.g., all cashiers do some cart-gathering)."

I'd be glad to provide more quotes about the integrity of this company from people in the know at your request.

A GM says he doesn't need a union.

Talk about Obviousman!!

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I call Bolshoi on the OP. He basically expresses contempt for anonymous posters. When challenged to reveal something about himself to lend credibility to his claim of being a GM he says he accepts the challenge but then refuses to give us anything to verify that claim. In the same response he advises us to use the open door. We all know how well that option works.

He also, as predicted in the question, either dodged the question or lied in his response about the posting of schedules in individual departments. Everybody knows why an area such as pharmacy or optical is not allowed to post a schedule on the wall exclusive to that department. Any GM would have received that instruction in his anti-union indoctrination. The OP is either an impostor or a liar. If he still claims that there is not a problem I would issue him another challenge to tell the managers of those two departments that they are free to post a schedule visible to anybody who might want to look at it.

As far as age discrimination goes, he again dances around the subject by his careful use of terminology. Of course a GM has never heard any company clones tell him directly to terminate long-term associates! It would be illegal to say that. The company has enough lawyers to make sure no such directive would ever go out. They do it in other ways. I wonder if the OP would be so bold as to state that he has not been given instructions by superiors to give performance reviews in a graded manner or to rank his assistants from best to worst? I wonder if he would also claim that he has not been given thinly veiled instructions as to who should be evaluated more poorly than his peers? I wonder if he would also claim that job titles of positions that tend to be held by long-term associates have not been eliminated? Anybody who has been around knows what is going on, but there is no way in he-l that any current member of management would ever admit to that because they would be immediately terminated.

I frankly doubt the motivation of the OP. He's just a good ole boy GM out to help us think see the light of the virtue of the company and the evil of the labor unions? And he's willing to spend his own time doing so because he feels so committed to the cause and posting on company time would, of course, be stealing from the company? And he's clearly a company kind of guy, so he would never do that!

The OP and his positions are so transparent and bogus as to insult the intelligence of the reader. They could have been summed up in three statements.

"Sam's Club good. Unions bad. Trust me on that."

I'd give up my anonymity and tell you who I am, but I'm fairly certain the company already knows that information.

I appreciate the reply, however, it seems to me that leading by example, realistic expectations and listening are pretty basic. All management should be doing these things and while those who aren't may be bad managers, those who are, are merely decent managers. So while you practicing these basics may have made a difference where you are, I can think of several things that would make for, what I would consider, a more impactful difference to workers, moral, productivity and job satisfaction and in turn, a more successful company. I would be happy to share those if you are interested.

A note regarding unions - there is power in numbers and collective bargaining is a strong tool one person speaking for them self does not possess. Unions empower workers to improve their own lives, working conditions, safety, compensation, benefits, etc. Workers joining together provides a democratic means to a more equal playing field when it comes to negotiating (especially with large corporations) as the employer is no longer the only one making all the rules and setting all the terms.

As far as age discrimination- I truly have not been told anything or heard anything.

As I stated before - my long term associates keep my club going. Is it hard sometimes to adapt and want to move forward with the change yes, and sometimes long term associates struggle with that.

I believe in bridging their culture of the company with the new age vision of where the company is headed.

I myself don’t see a way to be successful without my long term associates.

I know not everyone shares that view.

But I sincerely have never been given any instructions on long term.

Challenge accepted

I myself have used the open door with my past club managers, market people partner, market managers.

Sure you always wonder about retaliation, but I would rather talk it through over be unhappy.

There was a time I did use the 1-800.

I support the people on here that have made comments of unfair or discriminatory situations that if they can not open door to their manager to call the 1-800. I believe there is an option on there to not remain anonymous if you do not wish too.

Not looking for a fight- or a debate. We all have different experiences or exposure.

My intent was to share my experiences of having tough leadership and how I was able to make the best out of it.

I think sometimes associates are intimidated to step up and think they do not have the “skills” needed - That is how I improved my situation and have loved the outcome.

I stated previously I am GM, believe it or don’t. I do not feel that stating what area I am brings value to my experience that i can share openly if someone has a question.

Just a thought 💭 returning 😊

In regards to schedules being posted. In all honesty I’ve never heard that you can be terminated for that- ever. That’s what I mean that gets tricky when everyone puts their own “spin” on things.

What I know on schedules: schedules was part of an off the wall program in efforts to go digital. The concern with having paper copies of the schedules will is if the schedule gets updated in the system- now our “paper copy” in the back isn’t current.

When I was an assistant I challenged my leads to get on board with this at it really does make it better from an engagement standpoint. When we hire in a new associate there is not confusion on where the schedule is.

With the new apps now to show who is working where hopefully that has made it easier to a point to know the schedule. But in all honesty In over 20 years i have never heard of that being reasons for term.

I've got a question for you. Be sure to answer honestly because I rarely ask a question of anybody in management that I don't already know the answer to, and this one is no exception. Why is it cause for termination for any specific area within the club (deli, optical, pharmacy, etc.) to have a copy of the work schedule for their specific department posted for those specific associates?

I'll bet you dodge or ignore this one!

Challenge.

You show your own hypocrisy by expressing disdain for the anonymity of posters (and implying that anonymous posters are cowards) on this site, but then post corporate propaganda even as you yourself remain anonymous. Tell us what your specific position is within the company and your general geographic location. Just enough information that those that know you would have a good idea of your identity. You indicated you would answer questions "from a GM standpoint" but did not specifically say you yourself was currently a GM. I suspect you have a higher title.

You show me yours and I'll show you mine.

If there is age discrimination in this company, would you tell me? Specifically running long timers out the door? Tell me.

Nice!

Another member of management spewing the anti-union BS he's been indoctrinated to regurgitate. (Nice job, Tim! Maybe Jimmy will reward you!) Meanwhile, the workers at King Soopers just got a sweetheart deal via a union-negotiated settlement.

In the real world, the rest of us can choose to either drink your Kool-Aid or read the real world news.

In response to the kid with the pallet drops-

I have had that open door recently where one of my associates did not feel like hardlines was being stocked on his two days off and felt overwhelmed when he came back.
When I address an open door I believe it is important for me to observe and see what is happening personally. In my observations that was happening- not in a disrespectful way but because it was the last area the team got too.
I partnered with my AMs and AM leads to redirect all areas of the club getting right and to standard. So far we have been better as we build it to be more consistent.
As far as dropping 80 pallets. I believe right is right and wrong is wrong. I would joy fire the manager because you don’t treat retaliation with retaliation.

But depending on where we were in doc convos it would be feedback or next level da.

I would urge the associate to utilize the open door. If not in the club than the 1-800 number

• " The company doesn’t say how everything has to be- leadership puts a lot into that- the company actually gives a lot of freedom within the frame work." I have known this was the case for a long time. But... In our club any time a manager wants you to do something that unnecessarily make your life more difficult they always say it is company direction. Or they claim everything is out of their hands.

Here is a question if you are a GM. How closely do you police your assistant managers for retaliation and favoritism?? I would be willing to bet that those things are in your club as well as all the others. Now i realize that from club to club the levels of retaliation and favoritism may differ quite a bit but they are there. Here is an example of retaliation. We had a young fellow on over night stocking who went to the manager and raised a concerned that his area was not getting stocked well on his days off. The next night the manager dropped 80 plus skids in the kid's area. It was very overwhelming for the kid. He left soon after. Everyone who saw this knew it was retaliation for raising the concern but it was the type of retaliation hard to prove to home office.
Would you as a GM have fired that manager for retaliation since supposedly retaliation is 100% no toleration issue? I doubt it very much......

• " The company doesn’t say how everything has to be- leadership puts a lot into that- the company actually gives a lot of freedom within the frame work." I have known this was the case for a long time. But... In our club any time a manager wants you to do something that unnecessarily make your life more difficult they always say it is company direction. Or they claim everything is out of their hands.

Here is a question if you are a GM. How closely do you police your assistant managers for retaliation and favoritism?? I would be willing to bet that those things are in your club as well as all the others. Now i realize that from club to club the levels of retaliation and favoritism may differ quite a bit but they are there. Here is an example of retaliation. We had a young fellow on over night stocking who went to the manager and raised a concerned that his area was not getting stocked well on his days off. The next night the manager dropped 80 plus skids in the kid's area. It was very overwhelming for the kid. He left soon after. Everyone who saw this knew it was retaliation for raising the concern but it was the type of retaliation hard to prove to home office.
Would you as a GM have fired that manager for retaliation since supposedly retaliation is 100% no toleration issue? I doubt it very much......

Fair question-
I knew I didn’t want to be “that” manager. I didn’t and still don’t have all skills of a great leader- but I know how to work. Having a strong work ethic has served me well. I have no issues working in any area of the club doing any task. I had managers before that would not drive a lift, help out in other areas, would call associates over to help “pick up” trash in front of them on the floor.
1- I lead by example- I do not expect what I know I could not get done. Realistic expectations
2- I listen- it might take me a couple days of self reflecting to see where any concern is coming from, but I listen and as long as it is still within the company guidelines- we can change anything. The company doesn’t say how everything has to be- leadership puts a lot into that- the company actually gives a lot of freedom within the frame work.

You wrote - "because I knew I could make a difference". What have you done specifically to make a difference?

I have also been at Sam’s for a while .. few decades .. I’ve seen this company go through a lot of changes, some good and some bad, as all companies do. I haven’t always been happy with the changes, but I’ve rolled with the punches. In all the years with Sam’s I have never taken on a manger roll, I have been a lead and I get both sides of the stress we are all going through now. Covid has not made it easy for any of us, we are all trying to do our best . I don’t believe in knocking down a company that has provided me and my family with a steady job with benefits , those can be hard to come by. I also agree with not wanting a union. Never thought we needed one. Maybe if those that are that unhappy should try to go through the channels to air their grievances . I for one have a great market manager that actually listens to associates .. I know some don’t have that, but we should all keep trying to let our voices be heard. This company has changed a lot over the years, and it can be great again in everyone’s eyes