Target (2 Viewers)

[eyetalian]

I need the help of anyone who knows what they're talking about.

First of all, I'd like to say that I am not apart of the union because I usually only work 4 hours a week thus doesnt benefit me that much.

Anyway, I went to Target to work (Saturday) - my shift 9 - 1, I had gotten on Thursday night when I noticed someone wasn't available to work that morning. My supervisor gave it to me and said that I had better not call in sick. I turned up at the back door at 8.51am on Saturday morning but it was closed and I couldn't get in. I went around the main door but of course that was closed too because it wasn't 9am yet and the store doesn't usually open until 9.03 anyway.

I phoned Target - not even having a direct number - only to get that piece of shit "Welcome to Target", so I hung up and waited. The doors opened and I ran to clock on - the time was 9.05am. I go down to the registers at the front and it's 9.07am. My supervisor, goes to me "your shift has been cancelled, i've replaced you". I argue with her saying I couldnt get in, I tried to phone and that so many people are late all the time. She never phoned me. It was a personal attack on me because she doesn't like me and she was licking her lips because the moment that those front doors opened and i wasnt there to serve she was ready with the phone.

I argued again and she phoned the manager. The manager pretty much just let her do what she wanted and I had to go home. I was so disgusted and ready to hand in a resignation letter.

Do I have any sort of legal leg to stand on at all? I plan on contacting Workplace Authority, Industrial Relations, Target Head Office and Australlian Retailer's Association on Monday.

I was searching on the SDA union website and it said under Key Policies - Rosters

"You must get paid for the shift that you have contracted to work. For example, if a casual employee agrees to work a four hour shift, they are entitled to get paid for the four hour shift." at http://www.sda.org.au/policies_show.php3?id=30

What do people think? Is it even legal that you replace someone within 5 minutes or close the door preventing me to get to work on time, and you must remember that means I have to arrive early for work and I wouldnt have gotten paid for it.

Help please

 

[wixxy2348]

i honestly don't think there is much you can do.............
not in terms of being paid for it anyway.

 

[Evilo]

Okay, don't quit your job, thats what they want you to do.

Speak to your [store] manager (it might be worth coming down to the store when you're not rostered to discuss this - maybe call in advance to try and book an appointment with him? therefore he can't pass you off by being busy). It seems the store manager is dominated by the floor manager, don't say anything bad about him at this stage, just try and act professional and explain the situation.

say you were dissapointed about the incedent that occured. Tell him that you couldn't access the building, and was not supplied with a suitable method of entry outside store hours. Tell him that the issue needs to be resolved so you can complete your job properly. Tell him your hours have been cut as a result and you think this is unfair (if this has occured)

If he doesn't offer an explanation ask for the personal details of someone from HR (and the area manager), and say you would like to make a formal complaint. Also state you would like an incedent report made on this event to be sent to head office.

As far as getting paid, i can't see anything happenning over that, the only way is if they get pressured by 'above' to pay you - and i doubt that. the fact is (even though they locked the door) you didn't show upto work on time.

Act cool calm and collected. If you get emotional/upset infront of them then they know you'll quit and they won't have to worry. Don't threaten calling IR, WA yet, at this stage it can be solved in house.

I've had similar issues when i've worked at liquorland, just gotta speak to the right people and know what to say. I made my area manager get upset and he had to call me back to re-gather his thoughts. Its the power of argumentative words!

Hope this helps.

 

[Evilo]

also - you should really have the store number in your phone. both the front desk, and the office.

Liqourland is a little different, but i had the store phone, coles - the adjorning store phone, managers home and mobile , 2ic number, and the area managers number lol - i also had a few employees numbers.. Probably a bit easier to do that with a small store, but yeah it doesnt hurt to write that number down if you see it.

 

[eyetalian]

Thanks Evilo for that - do you think I should speak to the Personnel Manager or the Store Manager - theres a few at my Target store.

Also, how I get access to the Target Retail Agreement because I read on the union website that if a casual employee agrees to work that shift they get paid for it. Of course if you don't turn up at all then surely you aren't "agreeing" to work and in which case you can't be paid.

Yeah I really would like to be paid for it - I don't care about the money at all I just don't want to let the supervisor get away with what she did to me and she did it personally.

and submitting both a formal complaint and an incident report won't really achieve anything will it? Should I pressure them in my report at all?
and is that SDA union roster policy anything to go by?

 

[eyetalian]

Also - there is no direct number for the registers at Target, they all have to go through the switchboard or reception. i have enquired about this before. because sometimes I have to wait for ages with the voice recording.

 

[Evilo]

Thanks Evilo for that - do you think I should speak to the Personnel Manager or the Store Manager - theres a few at my Target store.

I'm honestly not sure, i don't know the difference between the 2 (personnel does rosters i think?) It really wouldn't hurt speaking to both, but i'd probably voice the issue with the store mgr and ask if he can speak to the personnel mgr

Also, how I get access to the Target Retail Agreement because I read on the union website that if a casual employee agrees to work that shift they get paid for it. Of course if you don't turn up at all then surely you aren't "agreeing" to work and in which case you can't be paid.

The fact of the matter is, legally - you didn't show up to work on time. Yeah we know it wasn't your fault, but i don't think you will get paid unless the managers have a change of heart. I wouldn't keep your hopes up.

and submitting both a formal complaint and an incident report won't really achieve anything will it? Should I pressure them in my report at all?
and is that SDA union roster policy anything to go by?

The idea of submitting a formal complaint is to stop them from doing it again and fucking people over, i'd only do it as a last resort but if necessary it gets people from outside the store involved which can work to your advantage. I'm 90% sure you'll get this solved in house, but if they can't solve it to a satisfactory standard, then you'll have to go higher.

with the switchboard there may be an override button (like press 9 three times to bypass the system). Someone might know of it? Otherwise you may be able to press the number before the voice recorder has finished talking.

 

[Sabbo]

Hah Target...Lasted there fore 3 years.

At my store there was no alternate employee access so what you had to do was bang on the roller door until someone opened up. Isn't there some sort of door bell at the 'back door'? Did they tell you to use this as an entry point in the morning?

As suggested before, explain the situation to the store manager.

Seems a bit slack they didn't even try to call you. That was the usual procedure at our store before calling in a replacement (and common sense really)

So glad I'm not there anymore

 

[eyetalian]

Yeah I do think it can be solved in store but I dont really want to solve anything, I dont know what I want to solve, I just want the money so I can shove it in the supervisors face.

Im going to ask about a direct number definitely and as for formal complaint and incident report - im submitting one of those either way. Im also speaking to the area manager and someone from HR, Im making sure that what that supervisor did is known, I yes was TECHNICALLY late but she reeked of unprofessionalism.

 

[Arowana21]

Never work at Target man, it is full of crap, however the people you meet there arent so bad, but the managers are full of shit, just because they have had a bad education and ended up working there full time doesnt mean that they can take that anger on teenagers like us
Dont go to Target Chatswood, there is fat lady called Barbara Bush who is shit as.
PS one of the managers that i had always hated the consumers.

 

[born2b]

meh, getting urself hated at work will really really help wouldnt it...

no one at work likes a dibyy dobbeerr...

suck it in harden the fk up and speak to the manager

you should have gotten SDA membership if you planned on being bullied on..

seriously you have to stand up and do shit urself rather than letting the union fight for you and you could sit back and relax ..

so meh, lol

 

[Sabbo]

Yeah I do think it can be solved in store but I dont really want to solve anything, I dont know what I want to solve, I just want the money so I can shove it in the supervisors face.

Im going to ask about a direct number definitely and as for formal complaint and incident report - im submitting one of those either way. Im also speaking to the area manager and someone from HR, Im making sure that what that supervisor did is known, I yes was TECHNICALLY late but she reeked of unprofessionalism.

Good Luck with that. Especially if you're casual.

I'm surprised you can only work 4 hours a week (or this how much they roster you?). With that low amount of hours I guess you have nothing to lose but if you are casual it will be pretty hard to make them pay up + you won't make any friends in the process

I had to fight for unpaid overtime once and that was already a pain in the arse

 

[.:AmBeR.SmItH:.]

Never work at Target man, it is full of crap, however the people you meet there arent so bad, but the managers are full of shit, just because they have had a bad education and ended up working there full time doesnt mean that they can take that anger on teenagers like us
Dont go to Target Chatswood, there is fat lady called Barbara Bush who is shit as.
PS one of the managers that i had always hated the consumers.

i work at target and i love it ive worked there for a yaer and half nearly now, its honestly not that bad at all

 

[eyetalian]

Yeah what happens is - Target has cut down alot of shifts and casuals only get a 0 - 1 shifts a week, part times get very few too.

So i dont care about no one liking me i get no shifts and thus dont care as for Born2be its clear youre only in year 10 - you arent very smart.

Why would i join the union for 5 dollar a week for 2 years - making 40 - 50 dollars a week - what a waste of money.

I dont want friends, i want the money on principle and I want them to know my name. They cant do that - no way they can do that.

I am casual but I will fight until something is done.

 

[xxxx8888]

omg you turned up 10 minutes early for work. why?

once my shift started when the store opened and i was 20 minutes late because i slept in. my alarm went off and i actually got out of bed to put it off and went back to sleep for some reason. and the supervisor was all smiley and didn't care.

and another time, i was opening with a supervisor, but the supervisor was 25 minutes late, so i was doing all the work by myself until 5 minutes before we let the customers in.

p.s. my friend works at target and she's hated by the manager/supervisors too.

 

[born2b]

So i dont care about no one liking me i get no shifts and thus dont care as for Born2be its clear youre only in year 10 - you arent very smart.

Why would i join the union for 5 dollar a week for 2 years - making 40 - 50 dollars a week - what a waste of money.

well if your so smart why bother asking on a forum..

and its year 11 dumb ass..

if you fight for money at work you will be not liked and probably given 0 hours ... 40-50$ = tax deductable , fight with ur manager, you will be hated.. thats it. maybe when u send some people to get ur 1 4 hour shifts money they will remember your name and will remember to give you 0 hours forever.


usually confrontation with a store manager will help they understand your situation most of the time...

 

[Evilo]

Good Luck with that. Especially if you're casual.

I'm surprised you can only work 4 hours a week (or this how much they roster you?). With that low amount of hours I guess you have nothing to lose but if you are casual it will be pretty hard to make them pay up + you won't make any friends in the process

I had to fight for unpaid overtime once and that was already a pain in the arse

4 hours is the legal minimum they can give to a casual (other than just cutting the shifts completely). It was used at my store to make people quit - much easier than firing someone.

 

[Evilo]

if you fight for money at work you will be not liked and probably given 0 hours ... 40-50$ = tax deductable , fight with ur manager, you will be hated.. thats it. maybe when u send some people to get ur 1 4 hour shifts money they will remember your name and will remember to give you 0 hours forever.

Sorry but have you ever fought something on principal? or do you let managers take advantage of you?

At the end of the day she's in a low paid position at a chain store, and she's easily replaceable. Always fight for things that you are legally entitled to - especially with employers. If you don't then they will progressively screw you over.

Last year i had a massive argument with management over my pay rates, they were paying me as a part time, were not putting any money into super, but hired me as a casual (was casual on the books/in my contract). It took 2-3 months to sort out, and a manager lost his job. Yeah it was "only" $3 an hour, but ended up being over $1000 owed to me, which was subsequently paid.

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

Yeah even if it's only a small thing, if you let them get away with it the first time they'll keep screwing you over and if you keep letting it happen you're going to lack the confidence to stand up for yourself if something bigger happens to you one day. My first job was a nightmare and I ended up quitting it before my manager could fire me, but if I knew then what I know now I would have disputed him every step of the way because he was being an unprofessional spack.

You probably won't get paid but you should definitely be speaking to someone and complaining regardless.

 

[eyetalian]

I found out why they did what they did yesterday morning.

I accepted to work an extra 3 hour shift from 12 - 3 am on Toy Sale as well as an 8pm - midnight shift, but then 10 mins later I phoned in and said I dont want to do the first one because of uni arrangements and what not, too hard getting home etc. This was a week before the Toy Sale not the day before.

And I spoke to the Store Manager who says she will fix the door problem - she wasn't that great to talk to - she was on the Supervisor's side. But I asked if it was legal what she did but sending me home and also whether I'll be compensated. She replied by saying that - am i going to be compensated for the 3 hours on toy sale. She said she WOULD get back to me -regardless I stil want to file a formal complaint and incident report as well as speak to the Area Manager.

I spoke to other people at work ,they too agreed that it was completely unprofessional and cruel what she did to me.