Title: Walmart Store Manager Cites Understaffing, Lack of Hours for Poor Customer Service | Jobs With Justice
Headings: Walmart Store Manager Cites Understaffing, Lack of Hours for Poor Customer Service
Walmart Store Manager Cites Understaffing, Lack of Hours for Poor Customer Service
Content: Asked if he thought Walmart used managers to do associate-level work in order to avoid paying overtime, the manager Eidelson interviewed responded unequivocally: “Absolutely … What the average customer sees in the store is forcing the manager to step out of that manager role, and into that hourly associate role. So you’ll have managers that are cashiering, stocking shelves … We’re trying to take care of our managerial duties too … [Managers are] not getting proper lunches or getting breaks. There’s no way for Wal-Mart to ensure that we’re getting breaks, because we don’t punch a clock, of course – we don’t track our time.” He also attributed Walmart’s poor customer service and empty shelves to chronic understaffing: “If you have a manager that’s running a cash register, you know that manager is not on the sales floor ensuring that product is on the shelves. You know that manager is not able to respond to customer calls as quickly … The individual attention is just not there in the stores right now, because … they’re understaffing.” Along with a lack of staffing, he identified erratic scheduling as a huge issue facing Walmart workers, especially workers who want to work full-time hours and can’t. “It’s kind of sad that, you know, you have associates that are struggling right now — especially struggle this time of year — to get 24 hours a week … They didn’t ask to be part-time. A lot of them would love to be full-time …”
The interview echoes concerns raised repeatedly by members of OUR Walmart, an organization of current and former Walmart associates demanding better wages, adequate hours and respect on the job.