To Quote Drew Carey:

"Oooh, you hate your job? Theres a support group for that. It's called EVERYONE! We meet at the bar."

Opti, I agree with a great deal of what you're saying. It's a good idea to fill out some job applications and send out some resumes every six months or so. There are two good things that happen when you do that. The first is that you might actually get hired for a better job. The second is that when you interview for other jobs, you'll have a better idea of what you like and hate about your current job. Sometimes you'll find out that every job has its disadvantages and maybe you can put up with those in your present job, after all. In any case, you'll get a better idea of what the job market is like and what skills you might want to learn to make getting a better job easier.

Looking for other jobs is far better than going to a bar and kvetching.

But, let's be clear about a couple things. None of what you're saying precludes trying to unionize. Unions aren't just for "bad" companies. Selling books is a business. Organizing for better pay and working conditions is a good business decision. It's a legal right.

If you're trying to suggest that all retail jobs have always and will always be low-paying, you're missing some facts.

Currently, many regions in the retail food industry are heavily unionized. Grocery store workers in Philadelphia earn about 150% of what grocery store workers in Austin TX earn-- and it's simply a matter of organizing to bargain collectively. They do the same work. In Philadelphia, the workers can raise families on their pay, while in Austin it's a high-turnover occupation.

And you're forgetting that when the Borders brothers owned the franchise-- hell, even when Kmart owned the franchise-- employees were noticeably better paid. Wage increases fell from 10% to 6% to 4.5% to 3% a year because workers weren't organized to stop this.

Opti, I'm also with you on this "poor, poor pitiful me" stuff, except that I think it's crappy that workers have so little power to bargain when compared to corporations. The fair thing would be for all public-owned corporations to have to bargain with some representative of their workers. The managers ultimately report to the shareholders and some workers' bargaining agent should ultimately report to the workers. Then there'd be fairness in bargaining, a balance of power.

And you should also give a break to those who post about stuff that bothers them. Employees certainly have a right to gripe, whether it's at a bar or in this forum. At least, in this forum, the griping is open to mgmt's counter-opinions.

Your delusional if you think B&N is worse than Waldenbooks. You obviously have not worked there. I have worked at both and can confidently say that Waldenbooks is appalling. At

Waldens: you are pressured to upsell an item, a gift card, and a promotion with every single fucking tranaction.

B&N: Sell the card, then fast cashiering to get them out of there.

Waldens: you are written up if you do not meet certain company "averages" like UPT or A$T or PR.

B&N: N/A

Waldens: walk around the sales floor, say hi, ask if you can help, create rapport, tell about a promotion, and suggest another item.

B&N: say hi, ask if you can help, tell them about card when applicable.

Waldens: Sell more stuff! Sell, no task work! Which is why Waldens stores are usually such a mess and in complete disarray.

B&N: Focus on tasks and sell when appropiate. Which is why B&N stores are usually pristine.

I could go on and on. You don't know wtf your talking about.

P.S. This is not to say I don't have gripes about B&N. I wish there were unions in both companies to improve conditions and wages for all workers.

I have to post a reply on this one. I've worked for Waldenbooks for 5 years now. It hasn't been all fun and games and I do have some gripes about the pay. But like I've read on here before: you don't work here because you want to be rolling in the cash, you work here because you like books. I'm not sure where all of you guys are coming from, what kind of stores are run where you work; maybe it is a hell hole. I guess I'm just lucky. My manager has been with the company for almost 20 years, she's raising her two kids on Borders inc. insurance, she makes around 40,000 a year (don't ask me how i know that) and she's fun. She takes the booksellers' side and she is very laid back. We make plan, upt, and all of that other crap. And our store looks nice, as much as a "metal" store can. The asst. managers are my best friends and we do stuff outside of work all the time. I'm the sr. bookseller and run the kiosks at x mas time and everything flows nicely most of the time. All of the other booksellers are like family as well. The store has a party about one every four months at someone's house and we all get plastered , dance, make fun of ourselves, and go to work the next day. I guess what I'm trying to say is that people make your work. Not all stores are run by the spawn of satan.

It's not perfect, but it's getting better.

All of the bad stuff I read on here also has another side to it. I think a lot of people forget that sometimes. Pay's not the best, but I'm getting around a 5% raise each year, that's not bad. We're getting ready to open three new kiosks....I get a salaried paycheck until January for that, that's not bad either.

B&N may be a lot nicer on the outside, but there are times I wonder what kind of people are truly running that bookstore. There is a B&N store less than 1 mile from our store and we do call over there on occassion..... their knowledge of books and authors and titles are less than impressing, even with their computer. I'm not sure about other Waldenbooks, but our store prides itself in trying not to use the computer, but knowing what we are talking about and knwoing the product we sell.

PR's are a thing of the past. I was the first to dance on the counter for that blessing. As far as suggesting an item, egc's , upt, and all that other stuff....well , that's just business. When a mall chain is compeating with B&N and yes, even the Borders down the street, then we have to do everything we can to make that extra buck. Now, I'm not suggesting to go out and just "sell more stuff" , it's just not that simple. But have fun doing it. The "sell more stuff" crap is crazy, I will admit. I looked to my manager and said, "Sell more stuff? What the hell does that even mean? I didn't know we were in the business of 'stuff'!" So, yeah I have issues too, but for the most part it really isnt' that bad.

Yeah, I am lucky. But I doubt she's going anywhere. She's been the manager there for the last 18 years. She's outlasted dozens of DM's and switches in regions. She meets our goals and that seems to make everyone happy, even Bob our RM. Our mall is strong and we don't get bothered by our DM much since she is understanding and we're at the other end of the state. I'm not worried. I just wish all Waldens were like that.