Pros
• The convenient locations that are often on or near bus routes • Discounted ORCA bus card (so I have the option to ride the bus to work) • Occasionally useful store discount (when paired with monthly coupon and quarterly sales creates meaningful savings) • Paid vacation and sick leave after six months with a higher accrual rate than most low wage retail positions • Union representation (guaranteed hours, disciplinary rights and okay pay scale/increases)
Cons
• Growth centric company (short term sales are often championed by management as job well done, employee welfare is secondary, clear budgetary constraints limiting investment in existing infrastructure, antiquated product design that follows industry trends with little to no innovation, two new stores slated to open in the next coming years in addition to a new headquarters building (despite above problems), old fashioned management structure actuates negative morale…no innovative management structures or producers to deal with rising complexity and size of company) • High turnover (little to no value to staying in lower level positions for longer than 2 years, especially when saddled with ever increasing responsibilities and tasks due to essential positions constantly needing to be filled, for some areas a loss rate of 3-4 months) • Poor communication between fellow co-workers and management o Management gives both haphazard an unreliable feedback and instruction for the completion of tasks o Co-workers are often the teachers (due a lack of managerial oversight: low level workers are often left to solve problems on their own, often leading to situations where one has to ‘wing-it’ with a best guess or garner help/training from other entry level helper clerks) • Chronically understaffed deli departments (non-essential areas often get work by workers who are simultaneously covering multiple areas) • Patronizing and idiosyncratic management (management talks openly with about fellow co-workers whom they dislike, awards workers based off cursory observations of work ethic and behavior, doles out punishment based off cursory observation of work ethic and behavior, plays favorites, marginalizes workers) • Sexist/bigoted comments as well as abusive situations from some in Deli Management team. Must be strong in your boundaries. • During late winter months many full time deli clerk hours were cut due to budgetary constraints and reduced sales during that time of year • Little to no opportunities to gain leadership experience from entry level positions. Reduced chances to move up. New management is often hired from outside the company and usually is not built from within.