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Thursday, April 5, 2012

ZombieLand (HBC/ZELLER'S)

ZombieLand Exposed!
A true tale of frustration and corporate indifference

In direct violation of yet another new policy from HBC / ZELLER’S, here’s what that fine company has pulled on yours truly recently. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with the purchase of the company, and it’s parent corporation, the HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY (whom most people will readily identify as co-conspirators, along with the catholic church, in the attempted genocide of Canada’s First Nations Peoples) by U.S. Creepy Low End Discount giants, TARGET, but there has been a surge in new policies and practices of late.

The one I’m contravening right now is the 'Social Networking’ policy, which states in part (and I’m paraphrasing here) that ZELLER’S employees MAY NOT say anything negative about the company, its parent, its vendors or suppliers, or its clients. Failure to comply with this policy may result in termination and possible criminal charges (not sure how, exactly. I guess they figure on some slander, or libel or that jolly mixture of the two - defamation of character. Good luck with that). The base line, as suggested by one of my (former) supervisors, is that an employee could have a crappy day, go home, and write on their Facebook wall: “Had a shitty day at work, customers were assholes and manager pissed me off”, and conceivably be fired for it. However, the 'Social Networking’ policy no longer applies to me, as I have been terminated. Suck on THAT one, ZombieLand.

Yep, after almost 5 years of service, HBC / ZELLER’S #361 Manager, Edwina Teo, first suspended, then terminated me for refusing to sign a new LPO policy, but get this - the letter she gave me indicates that I resigned. How? Good fucking question, let’s answer it. The letter states that the company is taking my refusal to sign a document that I had signed in previous years as my resignation, even though I was taken off the schedule against my wishes, and the policy I signed was NOT the same one they were trying to get me (under duress) to sign now. Right, a tiny amount of background is needed here. The policy in question, or rather, the one item that I am questioning, concerns parcel / baggage checks and states that, and I quote,

“All parcels are subject to an inspection by the Sales manager / Leader or Loss Prevention at any time at any location (this includes tote bags, shoe bags, briefcases, backpacks, purses etc)”. *emphasis mine*.

The practical upshot is this: I could be outside enjoying a legal, regulation cigarette and at the same time, a manager or LPO could be upstairs going through my shit. I contend that, if even the RCMP can’t do something like that, then ZELLER’S sure as hell can’t. Oh, yeah. I also informed Edwina Teo that I would, in fact, sign the policy if I could determine its legitimacy / validity, a task she gave me 24 hours to complete and which, after three solid weeks, I still can not get a straight answer on from any government agency, even though the BCCLA’s own Privacy Handbook states that HBC / ZELLER’S actions are “not acceptable”

So, there we sit for now - terminated without just cause, with a letter stating I quit (which also fucks me out of getting EI), from a job I’ve held with no real problems for close to 5 years. I’ve put in the Labour Relations Board’s requisite request for severance pay and lost wages, if HBC / ZELLER’S refuses to comply, then I sue for wrongful dismissal, drag it through the courts, make them look like idiots. Small, petty, heartless idiots, and start up a bit of the good old Media Circus as I go - gotta make your own fun, right?

Until next time, as always, be safe!
TRS