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3:54 pm - Sat 8/02/03
More Boring Crap About Borders

More boring crap about Borders

Things are a little tense at work these days...

Recently there was a supervisor meeting with John A., the new GM. And while I'm not a supervisor, and thus not privy to everything that went on at this meeting, what did get back to me is that he told them they can all expect to work anytime.

In short, there will be no set schedules.

That's always been the company line--"This is retail, so expect to work some nights and weekends"--but, and I think this comes from when John O. was handling the schedule, there's always been the feeling that the store would make an effort to accomodate an employee's schedule whenever possible (It feels, to me, like a privilige of seniority; You do your time working mornings, mid-shifts, and closings, then eventually you can get a schedule more to your liking).

To me, being "accomodating" (And providing, as much as possible, a regular work schedule, if that's what an employee wants or needs) makes sense. It's an acknowledgment that your employees are people who have lives outside the workplace (And some people have to work a second job outside the bookstore, because of what Borders pays), and it's good for morale.

This, however, would not seem to be "good for morale"; The new GM told the supervisors they would not be scheduled to have two days off in a row.

So, no "weekend" for the supervisors (That one I don't understand at all; You have to give them two days off anyway, so why not two days off in a row, like people with real jobs?).

Which comes to me...

A form has recently been put in everyone's mail slot; We're supposed to fill out a schedule of when we're available (Or when we're not available, one or the other).

Tim G. (Who's a supervisor) told me the GM pretty much stated that, from now on, the more hours someone is available, the more they'll work.

I haven't filled the form out yet, and don't want to, because it puts me on the horns of a dilemma; I don't want to say that I'm available anytime, because that's just going to lead to conflicts with JS and the commercial thing (And eventually with movie and tv auditions), but if the Big Boss Man really gets draconian about this, he may decide he only needs me 10 hours a week.

I did finally meet the guy, and have worked a couple shifts when he's been there.

One of the first things he said to me is "You're a 'closer', right?", and I used that as an opening, making a case for my current schedule (Closing shifts, with Wednesday and Thursdays off); I told him that, as an actor, my current schedule seemed to be working out very well, in terms of minimal disruptions on other end.

He said that was good, which made me feel hopeful that I "planted a seed".

I also feel like the schedule I have, which is working pretty well for me by and large, is one that a lot of other people wouldn't want to work (I work the "nights and weekends" retail forces upon you).

So while I feel a little bit of panic rising, I'm trying not to assume things are going to go badly until and unless they actually do.

But all this work talk reminds me--I have to go to work.

 

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