Former Employees Sue GameStop Over Security Checks

[Atmos Duality]

Based on my experience, it seems retail deliberately attracts some of the absolute worst sorts of people and puts them into management. (And if you happen to be a competent and efficient worker, you get bent over and fucked twice as hard as everyone else, because like as not, you're going to be doing their jobs for them.)

It's not only common, but almost expected for Middle and Upper management to work around the clock not trying to find ways of making the work more efficient and safe, but loopholes in state labor laws to cut costs and enact policies based on that. This case looks like the direct result of that.

That's why Gamestop forces their employees to act as if they work on commission (when it doesn't really matter or help anyway) but pay them little to nothing in return. My brief stay working technical for Sears was a bit grueling at times, but it was nothing compared to the bullshit my friend at the Gamestop just a short walk into the mall had to endure.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Facts are, the law says you get those breaks, so companies have to either adhere to it, or deal with it when called out en mass by a class action suit.

They're not being whiny or slackers, they're just defending their rights, which WILL be eroded every chance companies get if they're not forced to treat their staff decently.

Of course, as one member of staff, it's a lot harder to demand your rights, who wants to cause trouble and know they'll be first out when they need to fire people.

As a group you can stand your ground and just ask for what you're supposed to receive without asking in the first place.

Yes, I got promoted to management in job, and realised all it means is you get hassled from below as well as above. After that I realised I wasn't management material, tho they kept me til I quit, I think they couldn't find anyone else dumb enough to take a management job with them. (threshers liquor store, now defunct)

Regularly got put in the situation of 13-14 hour shifts with no breaks, alone, decided 'fuck em' and just closed the store when I needed to go eat or use the bathroom. Got caught and chewed out, tried rational argument, got bitched at more. Carried on doing it anyway.

 

[Capt. Crankypants]

I'm not so concerned about the news article, but with the whole vibe in general. Security checks? In retail?! Really?! I don't get it, is there a completely messed-up sense of national neurotic-paranoia where you check your own employees for bombs or cocaine or calories or whatever it is they're afraid of?

Americans, I do not want to go to your country. Ever. I like it here, where I have an awesome job, working with friendly people, and everyone mutually trusts each other.

(I'm surprised they let any of you use stanley-knives/carton-cutters if they're that worried.)

EDIT: Also, one more thing. Does anyone know WHY people choose to work at Gamestop? I only ask because, even though it might seem like a 'cool' place for us young people to want to work, you know, video games and all, you should bloody know better. They have an almost limitless supply of young drones who just want to work 'with video games' handing in resumes all the time. Of course they aren't going to care about you, you're like lambs to the slaughter. With all this bad publicity floating around, you'd think they'd've (I know, double contraction, pretty awesome, right?) realised by now that it's not the best place to go. Although, here in Aus, I don't think EB Games is anywhere near as bad. I have a mate who went up through the ranks and now manages a store of his own, and has loved every minute of it. Are bosses just unusually sadistic over there in the US?

 

[Pandaman1911]

Good lord, really? You're suing over security checks? Yes, they're invasive. Yes, they're insensitive. Yes, it's inconvenient. Don't like it? Don't fucking work there. This shit pisses me off. I get checked at my job all the time, and you know what I do? I'll tell you what I don't do, I don't get a lawyer ready and make a display of things.

I'm not so concerned about the news article, but with the whole vibe in general. Security checks? In retail?! Really?! I don't get it, is there a completely messed-up sense of national neurotic-paranoia where you check your own employees for bombs or cocaine or calories or whatever it is they're afraid of?

It's to check for stolen goods. Because a lot of shoplifting is done by employees.

 

[Amnestic]

Good lord, really? You're suing over security checks? Yes, they're invasive. Yes, they're insensitive. Yes, it's inconvenient. Don't like it? Don't fucking work there. This shit pisses me off. I get checked at my job all the time, and you know what I do? I'll tell you what I don't do, I don't get a lawyer ready and make a display of things.

Yeah, because there's nothing smarter than waiting until unemployment is high and the economy is suffering before quitting your job. Nice advice there mate.

 

[Pandaman1911]

Good lord, really? You're suing over security checks? Yes, they're invasive. Yes, they're insensitive. Yes, it's inconvenient. Don't like it? Don't fucking work there. This shit pisses me off. I get checked at my job all the time, and you know what I do? I'll tell you what I don't do, I don't get a lawyer ready and make a display of things.

Yeah, because there's nothing smarter than waiting until unemployment is high and the economy is suffering before quitting your job. Nice advice there mate.

Look, no need to be sarcastic about it. I'm just saying that maybe throwing a hissy fit in court isn't exactly the best way to go about things. Acting like an adult means responding to things in an adult manner. Which, in this scenario, would be talking to one's manager and explaining to him that these checks are somewhat unecessary, and if they do have to happen, that they be performed before one has punched out for lunch/end of day.

 

[omega 616]

security checks?

last time I checked, gamespot was a games store - as in the trading of video games for currency - not a prison.

seriously why would you check your employees? was there a massacre I didn't hear of? Is there a link to bomb threats? Is this the extent of the patriot act? Isn't this also a violation of human rights?

those who are willing to give up freedom for securiy deserve neither, never forget that.

I usually hear Americans bang out about freedom and spouting that line you did at the end, nice to have a change of pace. (I am not having a go at you, I am just bad at wording things)

I think it's daft you have these checks at all, I had never heard of it before now. I thought the UK was paranoid but America just proves again it is the most twitchy nation out there ...

 

[kiwi_poo]

security checks?

last time I checked, gamespot was a games store - as in the trading of video games for currency - not a prison.

seriously why would you check your employees? was there a massacre I didn't hear of? Is there a link to bomb threats? Is this the extent of the patriot act? Isn't this also a violation of human rights?

those who are willing to give up freedom for securiy deserve neither, never forget that.

I usually hear Americans bang out about freedom and spouting that line you did at the end, nice to have a change of pace. (I am not having a go at you, I am just bad at wording things)

I think it's daft you have these checks at all, I had never heard of it before now. I thought the UK was paranoid but America just proves again it is the most twitchy nation out there ...

I'm not American, I just love to point out what America is supposed to stand for and comparing it to what it actually is.

It completely destroys the illusion that some people have that America is the greatest country in the world, while everybody else knows its http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv5jLsLoYcE

just kidding

 

[omega 616]

security checks?

last time I checked, gamespot was a games store - as in the trading of video games for currency - not a prison.

seriously why would you check your employees? was there a massacre I didn't hear of? Is there a link to bomb threats? Is this the extent of the patriot act? Isn't this also a violation of human rights?

those who are willing to give up freedom for securiy deserve neither, never forget that.

I usually hear Americans bang out about freedom and spouting that line you did at the end, nice to have a change of pace. (I am not having a go at you, I am just bad at wording things)

I think it's daft you have these checks at all, I had never heard of it before now. I thought the UK was paranoid but America just proves again it is the most twitchy nation out there ...

I'm not American, I just love to point out what America is supposed to stand for and comparing it to what it actually is.

It completely destroys the illusion that some people have that America is the greatest country in the world, while everybody else knows its http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv5jLsLoYcE

just kidding

I know you are not American, I checked your profile ... I was quite astonished, that's why I said something.

America is in it's teenage years, being an arrogant, cocky git ... it will soon grow up, just needs to get rid of the crazy gun nuts, the overly patriotic and the south ... I kid, I kid!

 

[Furrama]

Oooh, I'm suddenly reminded of this guy: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6wnow_zero-originality-episode-1_videogames

The last episode did speak of some shady things that GS was doing that was similar to this. The bag checks aren't the problem, they aren't getting breaks period.