The Letting Off Steam Thread

[Patr1ck]

If I may ask, Jackal, what do you do?

[Jackal]

http://www.ah.nl/werk/winkel/teamleider.jsp

As a team leader in one of our stores you make sure that everything runs smoothly. It is about the functioning of your team and your team members themselves, but also to ensure consistency with other teams and the entire store.

There are two areas where you can be a team leader: Sales and stockers.

Teamleader stockers. You lead a stocking crew.

Teamleader Sales Checkout. You lead a team checkout.

In these jobs you get to deal with all aspects of leadership, planning and commitment of your people, cooperation, work meetings, illness and replacement, personal growth and development of the people in your team.

Do you have little to no experience in leadership? No problem, talent and a little experience is a good start. At Albert Heijn, there are plenty of opportunities to develop your leadership skills.

That's what I do. I usually work on Wednesday nights & Friday nights. Then there are another 3 guys that handle the other nights and on Saturday we each go one week (one night, one day). Nothing fancy ofcourse, but it looks good on your CV that you've handled a group of 30-40 people under you and that you've got manager-esque skills. I do it part-time ofcourse, because I'm still studying international law, so only nights and weekends is work time. Doesn't pay too shabby either (8.75 euro) an hour, just get fucked over sometimes when people dont show up and you have to head back the next morning to finish off the left over work.

[Patr1ck]

Sounds familiar. I'm a clerk (stocker) and a backup receiver. As a backup receiver, the backroom is mine for that day, so I can tell everyone what to do, but it's not really a management position. However, when someone does not show up, someone or a couple someone's have to make up for it during the shift, rather than comeback. Are you allowed to tell some of the people under you to make up for the missing person's work rather than having to comeback and do it yourself? Is your store a high volume store? With 30-40 employees under you, it sounds like it is.

8.75 euro has got to better than 8.60 US, though. I make 9.70 when I receive, and I just got that raise from 9.50 last month. Yay, sort of.

[Jackal]

I am indeed allowed to tell others to finish the remaining work, I dont have to do that though, I had other tasks I had to complete. I had to make the planning for the next day, had to order stuff that clients asked to keep aside, stuff that didnt fit has to be counted so that the system doesnt order it again which would lead to a surplus of said article and had to print out some prices for stuff that's cheaper than usual for this week only.

It's pretty high volume you could say, we're open 6 days a week from 8 to 8 and run about 350.000 euro's a week. We're aiming for 400 and have been the highest grower in our region. We're trying out a new system (differnt times) and naturally that comes with hiccups...so yeah, hopefully it gets better and people take responsibility and show up to do their work.

9.70 is around the same as 8.75 I thinks, how old are you Dub? Are you guys paid by age too?

[Patr1ck]

I'll be 30 in April. We aren't paid by age. The raises come by the amount of hours we work. It's bullshit, every 500-1000 hours we get somewhere between a 15 and 30 cent raise per hour. I was looking at the paper that shows how many hours needed to be worked and what type of clerk and what pay they get. I need to become a fucking pharmacist. They make like 50 dollars an hour. The only way to get a raise other than by putting in hours is when there is an opening in a higher paying job. For instance, the reason I am being paid more when I receive is because it is considered a Food Clerk position, while the GM Clerk position has a less pay grade. The store I work at does somewhere in the neighborhood of 600,000-700,000, but with the recession, I bet it's less now.

[Jackal]

Ah no, we're paid by age + position.

At 19 orso I wasnt what I am now, I was a regular stocker, then I was paid like 4.60 orso, but as I get older I get paid more + the position I have is also added to it. There's a guy that is still a "stocker" but 24, he gets paid 10.15 an hour, that's why we dont give out long term contracts. Only 6 months x 3 extensions and then we get new 15-18 year olds who are paid around 3-4 something. I've got a no time limit contract though, only way they can get rid of me is if I'm fired and that would entail me stealing or stabbing someone.

Non of which will happen. Well maybe the stabbing...

[Patr1ck]

I understand, I almost stabbed two people, not includign myself. Those damn boxcutters.

[Dan's Brain]

There are fires burning only a couple of k's away from me. And i'm in the suburbs. This is freaking scary.

[Andrew]

Scary stuff indeed, I've heard there's over 50 reported bushfires being fought around NSW alone right now and with the weather you guys are having down in Victoria it's no surprise they're raging there too. Stay safe.

[Dan's Brain]

It was our hottest day on record today. Coupled with the three 40+ days last week, it's just been a complete nightmare.

My suburb is about 40 minutes drive from the CBD, and they're in pretty much all of the surrounding suburbs at the moment. The good news is that it's starting to cool down slightly.

[Doobie]

I was in school today, and somehow started getting sick towards the end. Now I'm in bed with a fever of 102 degrees and the urge to vomit... Feeling really really bad right now.

[Andrew]

There's been at least 25 people killed in Victorian bush fires overnight, with up to 40 fatalities estimated. Hope you're safe, JN13.

Sorry to hear that Doobie. It's no fun being that sick.

[Dan's Brain]

65 and climbing is the most recent figure. I'm ok. They've moved away from us now. But are still out of control. We had some rain last night and early this morning, which has hopefully helped out.

Some of the small towns in the Yarra Valley are just gone. Towns with 100-year old buildings, 200-year old trees gone. Some of the scenes from the news are just horrifying. Burnt-out shells of cars from people trying to make their escapes.

[Andrew]

Glad to hear you're OK. The destruction and loss of life has been terrible indeed, not the images you want to associate with Summer but ones we often see around this time of the year.

[Dan's Brain]

Sadly too true. But they've never been anything close to this. Certainly not done our end of the country anyway.

[Andrew]

Toll is up to 66 and a former Channel Nine news anchor is missing, with his wife's body having been found earlier so it's not looking good.

[Dan's Brain]

Yeah. Brian Naylor was confirmed to be among the dead, along with his wife. Really horrible stuff. He and his wife had lost their son in a light plane crash last year, so a really unfair and terrible couple of years for the Naylor family.

Death toll has now climbed above 85.

[Doobie]

I woke up feeling better, btw that is sad news going on in Aussie land.... My prayers go out to everyone lost in the fires.

[Andrew]

Good to hear, Doobie.

The toll is rising, 130 and counting last I heard. It's been said already but the damage and devastation has been terrible to behold. Some houses have been shown to have survived the inferno though, sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the rubble of what now looks like a warzone.

[shadowgrin]

Authorities now say the start of the fires might be intentional, possible arson case.
Isn't that some sort of a cop out of the authorities so they can somehow hide their own negligence in having the proper preparation and precaution for the occurrence of such a event? I mean it happened in the past, though it was way back then.

[The X]

Many bushfires start with the simple littering of a still smoldering cigarette butt from a driver or truckie....what will it take for these irresponsible smokers to stop littering, especially in summer, after weeks of 40+ degree heat?!?

[Dan's Brain]

I dont know why total fire ban days don't extend to cigarettes, come to think of it.

[Fresh8]

Police will be investigating and any fire-starters will be charged with murder if the circumstances allow for it.

Also... I was just wondering if good old Fitzy is alright... too bad I don't have his number anymore, woulda sent him a text.

[The X]

I dont know why total fire ban days don't extend to cigarettes, come to think of it.

it's as simple as banning smoking whilst driving....as simple as that....you can't talk or text on mobile legally whilst driving....whilst it wouldn't stop everybody, might deter the majority....

[JaoSming]

after weeks of 40+ degree heat?!?

so weird to read that after I first wake up and where I am, we get lucky to even make it a few times to the "other" 40 degrees during winter.


Anyway, Im glad all you guys are safe.