Workers Assail Night Lock-Ins by Wal-Mart
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MovingTarget
Diamond Member
- Jun 22, 2003
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Looking back to that night, Michael Rodriguez still has trouble believing the situation he faced when he was stocking shelves on the overnight shift at the Sam's Club in Corpus Christi, Tex.
It was 3 a.m., Mr. Rodriguez recalled, some heavy machinery had just crushed his ankle, and he had no idea how he would get to the hospital.
The Sam's Club, a Wal-Mart subsidiary, had locked its overnight workers in, as it always did, to keep robbers out and, as some managers say, to prevent employee theft. As usual, there was no manager with a key to let Mr. Rodriguez out. The fire exit, he said, was hardly an option ? management had drummed into the overnight workers that if they ever used that exit for anything but a fire, they would lose their jobs.
"My ankle was crushed," Mr. Rodriguez said, speaking of the accident in which an employee driving an electronic cart that moved bulky merchandise crashed into his right leg. "I was yelling and running around like a hurt dog that had been hit by a car. Another worker made some phone calls to reach a manager, and it took an hour for someone to get there and unlock the door."
The reason for Mr. Rodriguez's delayed trip to the hospital was a little-known Wal-Mart policy: the lock-in. For more than 15 years, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, has locked in overnight employees at some of its Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores. It is a policy that many employees say has created disconcerting situations, such as when a worker in Indiana suffered a heart attack, when hurricanes hit in Florida and when workers' wives have gone into labor.
"You could be bleeding to death, and they'll have you locked in," Mr. Rodriguez said. "Being locked in in an emergency like that, that's not right."
Mona Williams, Wal-Mart's vice president for communications, said the company used lock-ins to protect stores and employees in high-crime areas. She said Wal-Mart locked in workers ? the company calls them associates ? at 10 percent of its stores, a percentage that has declined as Wal-Mart has opened more 24-hour stores.
Ms. Williams said Wal-Mart, with 1.2 million employees in its 3,500 stores nationwide, had recently altered its policy to ensure that every overnight shift at every store has a night manager with a key to let workers out in emergencies.
"Wal-Mart secures these stores just as any other business does that has employees working overnight," Ms. Williams said. "Doors are locked to protect associates and the store from intruders. Fire doors are always accessible for safety, and there will always be at least one manager in the store with a set of keys to unlock the doors."
Retailing experts and Wal-Mart's competitors said the company's lock-in policy was highly unusual. Officials at Kmart, Sears, Toys "R" Us, Home Depot and Costco, said they did not lock in workers.
Even some retail industry experts questioned the policy. "It's clearly cause for concern," said Burt Flickinger, who runs a retail consulting concern. "Locking in workers, that's more of a 19th-century practice than a 20th-century one."
Several Wal-Mart employees said that as recently as a few months ago they had been locked in on some nights without a manager who had a key. Robert Schuster said that until last October, when he left his job at a Sam's Club in Colorado Springs, workers were locked in every night, and on Friday and Saturday nights there was no one there with a key. One night, he recalled, a worker had been throwing up violently, and no one had a store key to let him out.
"They told us it's a big fine for the company if we go out the fire door and there's no fire," Mr. Schuster said. "They gave us a big lecture that if we go out that door, you better make sure it's an emergency like the place going up on fire."
Augustine Herrera, who worked at the Colorado Springs store for nine years, disputed the company's assertion that it locked workers in stores in only high-crime areas, largely to protect employees.
"The store is in a perfectly safe area," Mr. Herrera said.
It was 3 a.m., Mr. Rodriguez recalled, some heavy machinery had just crushed his ankle, and he had no idea how he would get to the hospital.
The Sam's Club, a Wal-Mart subsidiary, had locked its overnight workers in, as it always did, to keep robbers out and, as some managers say, to prevent employee theft. As usual, there was no manager with a key to let Mr. Rodriguez out. The fire exit, he said, was hardly an option ? management had drummed into the overnight workers that if they ever used that exit for anything but a fire, they would lose their jobs.
"My ankle was crushed," Mr. Rodriguez said, speaking of the accident in which an employee driving an electronic cart that moved bulky merchandise crashed into his right leg. "I was yelling and running around like a hurt dog that had been hit by a car. Another worker made some phone calls to reach a manager, and it took an hour for someone to get there and unlock the door."
The reason for Mr. Rodriguez's delayed trip to the hospital was a little-known Wal-Mart policy: the lock-in. For more than 15 years, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, has locked in overnight employees at some of its Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores. It is a policy that many employees say has created disconcerting situations, such as when a worker in Indiana suffered a heart attack, when hurricanes hit in Florida and when workers' wives have gone into labor.
"You could be bleeding to death, and they'll have you locked in," Mr. Rodriguez said. "Being locked in in an emergency like that, that's not right."
Mona Williams, Wal-Mart's vice president for communications, said the company used lock-ins to protect stores and employees in high-crime areas. She said Wal-Mart locked in workers ? the company calls them associates ? at 10 percent of its stores, a percentage that has declined as Wal-Mart has opened more 24-hour stores.
Ms. Williams said Wal-Mart, with 1.2 million employees in its 3,500 stores nationwide, had recently altered its policy to ensure that every overnight shift at every store has a night manager with a key to let workers out in emergencies.
"Wal-Mart secures these stores just as any other business does that has employees working overnight," Ms. Williams said. "Doors are locked to protect associates and the store from intruders. Fire doors are always accessible for safety, and there will always be at least one manager in the store with a set of keys to unlock the doors."
Retailing experts and Wal-Mart's competitors said the company's lock-in policy was highly unusual. Officials at Kmart, Sears, Toys "R" Us, Home Depot and Costco, said they did not lock in workers.
Even some retail industry experts questioned the policy. "It's clearly cause for concern," said Burt Flickinger, who runs a retail consulting concern. "Locking in workers, that's more of a 19th-century practice than a 20th-century one."
Several Wal-Mart employees said that as recently as a few months ago they had been locked in on some nights without a manager who had a key. Robert Schuster said that until last October, when he left his job at a Sam's Club in Colorado Springs, workers were locked in every night, and on Friday and Saturday nights there was no one there with a key. One night, he recalled, a worker had been throwing up violently, and no one had a store key to let him out.
"They told us it's a big fine for the company if we go out the fire door and there's no fire," Mr. Schuster said. "They gave us a big lecture that if we go out that door, you better make sure it's an emergency like the place going up on fire."
Augustine Herrera, who worked at the Colorado Springs store for nine years, disputed the company's assertion that it locked workers in stores in only high-crime areas, largely to protect employees.
"The store is in a perfectly safe area," Mr. Herrera said.
Why doesn't Wal-Mart simply chain their overnight workers to a large iron ball? That way, if they try to steal some merchandise, they won't get very far. They might also consider bringing in a big heavy-set guy who can take his shirt off and bang a big drum all night. Might make those lazy overnight workers more productive.
Originally posted by: gsaldivar
Use the emergency exit.
That's what it's there for.
These are not the brightest people in the world, and it is quite believable that some would believe that the doors wouldn't open or that they could be fired for using it.
Originally posted by: gsaldivar
Use the emergency exit.
That's what it's there for.
The fire exit, he said, was hardly an option ? management had drummed into the overnight workers that if they ever used that exit for anything but a fire, they would lose their jobs.
- Oct 30, 2000
- 42,589
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Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: gsaldivar
Use the emergency exit.
That's what it's there for.
The fire exit, he said, was hardly an option ? management had drummed into the overnight workers that if they ever used that exit for anything but a fire, they would lose their jobs.
I am sure that common sense within management would rule. They would not need a public whipping over their policy.
Both sides are at fault here; the worker for not using the fie-door and management for installing the fear of god into the workers regarding use of the door.
Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Originally posted by: Gaard
Originally posted by: gsaldivar
Use the emergency exit.
That's what it's there for.
The fire exit, he said, was hardly an option ? management had drummed into the overnight workers that if they ever used that exit for anything but a fire, they would lose their jobs.
I am sure that common sense within management would rule.
Not really if it's company policy then he would of gotten fired no matter what. Company policy is after all company policy and if you don't follow it well any manager with a grudge agianst you would have a nice excuse to get rid of you if they wanted too, end of story.
The worker did not use the door because he feared losing his job because of a abusive company policy, so I hardly see that as his fault.
Or maybe they could demand that each worker have a tracking ankle braclet like they have for crimnals so that management can track their every movement.
- Oct 30, 2000
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A medical emergency due to an accident should override the company policy.
I can not see a company that will delibertly refuse to allow a worker medical treatment due to an injury of such a described nature at work.
There is a difference for a headache, stubbing a toe or bumping a knee, nicking a finger. They might need medical attention, but should not require external assistance. These examples are what the policy was put in place for.
The Store management would have some sense. Upper store management would have accepted the situation given that OSHA would have become involved anyhow due to the accident.
I got my ankle run over by a car and I sure as hell wasn't running around...
Wal-Mart should really end this tactic unless the employees want it, if say, they felt unsafe in a certain area.
ViRGE
Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
- Oct 9, 1999
- 31,516
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According to the article, there wasn't a manager on hand with a key, and it's sort of silly(and possibly risking a fine) to call 911, don't you think? This is the kind of situation where someone picks you up in a car, and you drive to the local ER to get patched up; but in this case, because they were locked in, there was no way to do that.Originally posted by: LunarRay
How about they have a telephone in the store so the 'emergency' can be 'handled' appropriately. Can't believe no one knows how to dial 911 or their key toting manager..
PS And for those of you talking about using a fire door anyhow, according to the article at least, those will set off the fire alarm, which will summon the fire department, a big fine for there not being a fire
He should have just chewed off his own ankle and kept working. I think that's what the Wal-Mart employee manual says to do.
LunarRay
Diamond Member
- Mar 2, 2003
- 9,993
- 1
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I understood the manager was not on site that is why I said call him. But, the guy has a crushed ankle and can't get out of the store - in his mind - to get to hospital.. 911 seems appropriate to me. They don't send the calvary. But, maybe the para-medics and maybe the fire Marshall will call the key toting duty manager to the scene. This is a worker comp type issue. OHSA and all that.Originally posted by: ViRGE
According to the article, there wasn't a manager on hand with a key, and it's sort of silly(and possibly risking a fine) to call 911, don't you think? This is the kind of situation where someone picks you up in a car, and you drive to the local ER to get patched up; but in this case, because they were locked in, there was no way to do that.Originally posted by: LunarRay
How about they have a telephone in the store so the 'emergency' can be 'handled' appropriately. Can't believe no one knows how to dial 911 or their key toting manager..
PS And for those of you talking about using a fire door anyhow, according to the article at least, those will set off the fire alarm, which will summon the fire department, a big fine for there not being a fire
As I understand it 911 is for emergence services. A crushed ankle fits that bill. However, having never had an emergency service need - least ways as a civilian - I hope I wouldn't just sit there in pain wondering if I'd get fired if I opened a bottle of Aspirin.. to ease the pain and all..
BTW.. I could care less about the fire door opening fine.. assuming no telephone.. I'd have opened the door and sat and waited.. That is if I didn't throw a heavy object through the glass window.. But, I guess I'd not get myself locked into a store for any reason.
CADsortaGUY
Lifer
Originally posted by: LunarRay
I understood the manager was not on site that is why I said call him. But, the guy has a crushed ankle and can't get out of the store - in his mind - to get to hospital.. 911 seems appropriate to me. They don't send the calvary. But, maybe the para-medics and maybe the fire Marshall will call the key toting duty manager to the scene. This is a worker comp type issue. OHSA and all that.Originally posted by: ViRGE
According to the article, there wasn't a manager on hand with a key, and it's sort of silly(and possibly risking a fine) to call 911, don't you think? This is the kind of situation where someone picks you up in a car, and you drive to the local ER to get patched up; but in this case, because they were locked in, there was no way to do that.Originally posted by: LunarRay
How about they have a telephone in the store so the 'emergency' can be 'handled' appropriately. Can't believe no one knows how to dial 911 or their key toting manager..
PS And for those of you talking about using a fire door anyhow, according to the article at least, those will set off the fire alarm, which will summon the fire department, a big fine for there not being a fire
As I understand it 911 is for emergence services. A crushed ankle fits that bill. However, having never had an emergency service need - least ways as a civilian - I hope I wouldn't just sit there in pain wondering if I'd get fired if I opened a bottle of Aspirin.. to ease the pain and all..
BTW.. I could care less about the fire door opening fine.. assuming no telephone.. I'd have opened the door and sat and waited.. That is if I didn't throw a heavy object through the glass window.. But, I guess I'd not get myself locked into a store for any reason.
Seems to me that the Emergency Exit would have been the most prudent thing to do/use. Not only would you make it outside - the authorities would be summoned immediately - no? Screw your job - it's not like you're going to have one anyway if you don't get your injury attended to in quick-like fashion.
But yes, WalMart should have someone on hand(supervisor of some sort) with keys. The policy is dumb - the employee was dumb also.
CkG
LunarRay
Diamond Member
- Mar 2, 2003
- 9,993
- 1
- 76
CAD,
I can't argue with that. I asked the folks here abouts what they would do in the same situation. Each person said they would set off the alarm door. And, each person said they couldn't understand the lack of trust with the keys. Even cleaning crews normally have keys if they clean at night. Guess their minimum labor folks are more trust worthy..
I can't argue with that. I asked the folks here abouts what they would do in the same situation. Each person said they would set off the alarm door. And, each person said they couldn't understand the lack of trust with the keys. Even cleaning crews normally have keys if they clean at night. Guess their minimum labor folks are more trust worthy..
In regards to those who mentioned calling 911, well just let me say that I have had experince in my neck of the woods were if you ain't dead or dying they tell you to haul yourself to the hospital or you call a toll free number and wait a few hours.
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