Sam's Club Lays Off Every Single Demo Worker

[petegala]

I just heard this from a friend whose boyfriend works at Sam's.

Apparently every single employee of Sam's Club who does those food and product demos (mostly the hand-out stuff) got laid off yesterday.  The store in my area employed 35 of them, but each store has 30 to 60 of them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%27s_Club]According to Wikipedia[/url], there are 602 Sam's stores open right now.  This means 18,000 to 36,000 people nationwide just got the boot.

Update:  http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/012410dnmetsamsclub.acce54da.html
Looks like 30-60 per store may have been a bit on the high side, but still it's a lot of people

[ArmaGoof]

I haven't shopped Sams Club for many years, but I remember the freebies.  With growing unemployment, perhaps people were waiting in line for the handouts.  Were they giving away too much food, or was it that the stores are so empty of customers, the food went bad before it could be served and had to be wasted?  Maybe a bit of both.

There are still a lot of fluff positions that companies are carrying.  Positions that were created to pamper the public.  Case in point:  My daughter works at a 20-screen theater.  They employ a number of kids there to clean up the theaters after each show.  To me, this is entirely unnecessary.  Patrons should clean up after themselves - or each other.  Maybe have a kid come through at the end of the night to get what's missed, but after EVERY show??  What a waste of time and money.

OTOH, it does provide more jobs, but of a completely unnecessary and nonproductive nature.  Sams Club wised up.

[pamplemousse]

The sampling people were out in force yesterday at Costco.  They've got some acronym or logo or something,like, "We Drive Sales", or some such.  Interesting that Sam's Club doesn't think it is penciling out.  And too bad for all of us, because that's 18K-36K people who are going to need benefits/support while they search for work.

ArmaGoof, maybe your theaters are populated by a more genteel and tidy crowd than the ones I attend.  If I paid $9.50 for a ticket and had to wade through wet popcorn to get to my seat, I'd be fussy.  You're probably right, that's the direction we're headed.

[ArmaGoof]

ArmaGoof, maybe your theaters are populated by a more genteel and tidy crowd than the ones I attend.  If I paid $9.50 for a ticket and had to wade through wet popcorn to get to my seat, I'd be fussy.  You're probably right, that's the direction we're headed.

Would you be fussy at the messy patrons or the theater who didn't clean it?  In other words, who is responsible for the mess - any mess - those who made it - or those who didn't clean it up?

As an extension to Peak Oil, are those using the oil responsible for it running out, or is the government responsible for not stopping it's over consumption?

[Leeshee]

What's really sad is that generally these are very elderly people doing these jobs :*(

[pamplemousse]

Asking people to clean up after themselves is a waste of breath.

How long do you have to stand in the grocery parking lot before you can see someone stashing their cart in a car parking space, or on the edge of a curb, or where you wanted to park?  2 Minutes, tops.  Retail store employees spend a good amount of time picking up after their slob customers, putting clothes back on hangers, shoes in boxes, etc.  People like Disneyland because it is CLEAN.  Imagine what would happen if those guys with the brooms and dustpans walked off?  30 Seconds to crap everywhere.

People who pick up after themselves all the times in all public places are the exception.
People who reduce their oil consumption are saints, and/or unaware of Jeavon's Paradox.

[RMG]

"Would you be fussy at the messy patrons or the theater who didn't clean it?  In other words, who is responsible for the mess - any mess - those who made it - or those who didn't clean it up?" quote from above post.

I bought my ticket from the theatre - they are responsible for ensuring I don't wade through crap to seat in my seat. 

I think Wal-mart is doing whatever it can to cut costs wherever it can. If they no longer see revenue producing capability in something - it is gone.

[ArmaGoof]

Well, yah, I work retail - always night shift - so "recovery" is what we call it.  Picking up after customers and replacing stuff they leave laying around.  I encourage customers to be as sloppy and lazy as possible and get pissed when they bring in carts themselves or don't ask for help.  Why?  Because it costs MUCH more money to provide those services, which raises prices and helps us meet our sales goals which ultimately puts more money from their pocket into my pocket.  Likewise, I look the other way when I see shoplifting and never argue about returns or exchanges.  All this drives up prices, and ultimately, my paycheck.

[DNVRLIZ]

Here is a news article.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aMpbHZkczetk&pos=2

[Biminim]

ArmaGoof, maybe your theaters are populated by a more genteel and tidy crowd than the ones I attend.  If I paid $9.50 for a ticket and had to wade through wet popcorn to get to my seat, I'd be fussy.  You're probably right, that's the direction we're headed.

Would you be fussy at the messy patrons or the theater who didn't clean it?  In other words, who is responsible for the mess - any mess - those who made it - or those who didn't clean it up?
As an extension to Peak Oil, are those using the oil responsible for it running out, or is the government responsible for not stopping it's over consumption?

Let's extend your silly argument to its silly conclusion:  no janitors anywhere, as all they do is clean up after people who should clean up after themselves.  No maids in hotels--the guests should clean their own rooms!--no janitors in schools--why, if them darned kids were raised better, they'd know not to pee on the toilet seats!!--no highway clean up crews--those citizens using the motorways should not litter!!--no one picking up garbage--the citizens of our fair city should dispose of their own garbage!!

[petegala]

I just saw an article on MSN.com (but from the news source that shall not be named) that put the total layoffs at 11,000.  A far cry from 36,000 but still a lot of people who will probably be on unemployment benefits soon.

[DNVRLIZ]

ArmaGoof, maybe your theaters are populated by a more genteel and tidy crowd than the ones I attend.  If I paid $9.50 for a ticket and had to wade through wet popcorn to get to my seat, I'd be fussy.  You're probably right, that's the direction we're headed.

Would you be fussy at the messy patrons or the theater who didn't clean it?  In other words, who is responsible for the mess - any mess - those who made it - or those who didn't clean it up?
As an extension to Peak Oil, are those using the oil responsible for it running out, or is the government responsible for not stopping it's over consumption?

Let's extend your silly argument to its silly conclusion:  no janitors anywhere, as all they do is clean up after people who should clean up after themselves.  No maids in hotels--the guests should clean their own rooms!--no janitors in schools--why, if them darned kids were raised better, they'd know not to pee on the toilet seats!!--no highway clean up crews--those citizens using the motorways should not litter!!--no one picking up garbage--the citizens of our fair city should dispose of their own garbage!!

I hate to say this, but this is what is going to happen as time goes on, if they can cut back other stuff, why not this.  Our town has done away with the maintenance guys that clean the freeway areas and do landscaping work.  It is all just going back to nature. Less snowplows, less everything, not long before its not less, but NONE..........

[Biminim]

ArmaGoof, maybe your theaters are populated by a more genteel and tidy crowd than the ones I attend.  If I paid $9.50 for a ticket and had to wade through wet popcorn to get to my seat, I'd be fussy.  You're probably right, that's the direction we're headed.

Would you be fussy at the messy patrons or the theater who didn't clean it?  In other words, who is responsible for the mess - any mess - those who made it - or those who didn't clean it up?
As an extension to Peak Oil, are those using the oil responsible for it running out, or is the government responsible for not stopping it's over consumption?

Let's extend your silly argument to its silly conclusion:  no janitors anywhere, as all they do is clean up after people who should clean up after themselves.  No maids in hotels--the guests should clean their own rooms!--no janitors in schools--why, if them darned kids were raised better, they'd know not to pee on the toilet seats!!--no highway clean up crews--those citizens using the motorways should not litter!!--no one picking up garbage--the citizens of our fair city should dispose of their own garbage!!

I hate to say this, but this is what is going to happen as time goes on, if they can cut back other stuff, why not this.  Our town has done away with the maintenance guys that clean the freeway areas and do landscaping work.  It is all just going back to nature. Less snowplows, less everything, not long before its not less, but NONE..........

Yes.  we'll let the bottom go to shit, but not the top!

[Unconventional Ideas]

They're just make-work.  At the higher level, they higher you to be a poster boy for the corporation.  I mean how many PowerPoint presentations, meeting attendees, and spreadsheet producers does a corporation actually need?

The real workers in this economy are farmers, public school teachers, plumbers--that sort of job; not corporate teamplayers.

[ArmaGoof]

ArmaGoof, maybe your theaters are populated by a more genteel and tidy crowd than the ones I attend.  If I paid $9.50 for a ticket and had to wade through wet popcorn to get to my seat, I'd be fussy.  You're probably right, that's the direction we're headed.

Would you be fussy at the messy patrons or the theater who didn't clean it?  In other words, who is responsible for the mess - any mess - those who made it - or those who didn't clean it up?
As an extension to Peak Oil, are those using the oil responsible for it running out, or is the government responsible for not stopping it's over consumption?

Let's extend your silly argument to its silly conclusion:  no janitors anywhere, as all they do is clean up after people who should clean up after themselves.  No maids in hotels--the guests should clean their own rooms!--no janitors in schools--why, if them darned kids were raised better, they'd know not to pee on the toilet seats!!--no highway clean up crews--those citizens using the motorways should not litter!!--no one picking up garbage--the citizens of our fair city should dispose of their own garbage!!

I didn't present an argument Biminim, I simply asked a couple of questions.  My intent was to point out that because we expect to be treated like royalty whenever we spend our money, that treatment is a significant part of the reason that prices go up, quantities go down, people become less self-responsible and thus, contributing to the general decline of society.