Thread regarding Sears layoffs

I think it's a fair point although it s---s for the employees. You work hard for x years and you pay increases to approaching a livable wage especially if you're married and there's two of you working. I know a lot of couples where both work in retail and together they do ok.

It definitely doesn't make me feel better to watch people sitting on the Titanic right up until the moment it goes under. But if that's your choice have at it.

@inkf Some things are better left unsaid. I am sure associates know that. Why try to point out something obvious simply to try to make yourself feel better.

What's nasty about it? It's the truth. Anybody making more than minimum wage is a target for cost reductions. It's an incredibly stupid way of doing business, but that's the reality here.

@ikyz Why say such a nasty thing?

@ikyz Why say such a nasty thing?

In the latest "profitability plan" issued by the corporation, to paper over a disastrous Christmas season, there was this tidbit:

"The Company also outlined incremental actions to further streamline its operations to drive profitability, including cost reductions of $200 million on an annualized basis in 2018 unrelated to store closures."

Those of you hanging around this company because you now make a couple of dollars over minimum wage have a target on your forehead.

@fvs I understand what you are saying. Everyone assumes all stores are the same, and they aren't. Some are nice to work in and you like your co workers too. Everyone always assumes that the working conditions are horrible at Sears, but they aren't everywhere. Yes no one is naive. We all know we are in very shaky times, but not all of us hate working at Sears.

I wish we had Hobby Lobby. I'd work there.

@xqs, Some people at my Sears who want to continue working for Sears have been there for years so are making a few dollars above minimum wage and stand to lose that working somewhere else. Since the minimum wage in my state is higher than federal, companies are comfortable hiring at it even with experience. You might get a dollar or two more but not the $17/hour that you worked you way up to. We have a lot of people 45 - 60 ish who don't want to go back to entry level wages. And they like the actual job and most of their coworkers.

OP, you know it's not going to be good for you, so you have to make a choice. Get moving now, or wait until your store closes and you have that much more competition for available jobs. All the talk of the "transformation" is just fairy tale BS. I live in a booming area, so it may not be representative of job opportunities across the country, but employers far better than Sears Holdings are begging for employees. Hobby Lobby pays $15 an hour full time (that's 40 hours) with benefits, and they are closed on Sundays. Walmart pays $11 and they'll hire anybody with a pulse. I don't know how SHC manages to keep employees here, unless it's the opportunity to steal merchandise.

@@R97snEW-svh

Yes, who doesn't want to be let go and then encouraged to reapply to the same company with the same disposition as a new applicant, for less of a wage and more than likely twice the drive time. To a place that will likely have the same fate.. Makes sense to me.

I don't get it. With all the jobs out there, why are people so desperate to work for Sears? The pay is not good and neither are the hours, from what I read in the posts. Makes me think of lemmings running to the edge of a cliff and falling to their deaths below, en masse. If your city is large enough to have a Sears, then surely there are other opportunities. Who can be that unemployable that their only option is Sears?

Yep. When my store closed they gave us the chance to apply at another store. 30 of us applied for two positions. Those that were hired were hired at minimum wage even though one had been with Sears for over 15 years. Oh, and the store was an hour away.

That store is now closed and the nearest Sears or Kmart is 3 hours away.

Anyone off the street gets an opportunity to apply for jobs at Sears. Nothing special about being a current employee there. The line given when the stores close is that the employees have «an opportunity» to apply for other positions. No mention of hiring preference.

Do the math. 50 people let go. 3 jobs at a store 35 miles away.

I agree with the OP and disagree with the post below.

Other jobs within Sears??

If the majority of stores close in my region and they are starting to - then there are many many more Sears employees being let go than there will be jobs. I am far away from Chicago so HE is out and I am not working for Sears India or the Mexican Filipino call centers.

I don't live in NYC for a job with Seritage. Nor do I think that I would be hired for their REIT team that travels around transforming the properties although I might have a small chance there. I don't know the 1st thing about e commerce and programming and although that doesn't seem to stop anyone at SHC, I wouldn't be comfortable in the position.

From where I stand, after the so called transformation, there are going to be only a few specialized jobs available within the company and many employees out of work.

This is the hard truth.

You know that employees at closing stores get the opportunity to apply for other jobs within Sears ?

Even if you don't work for ShopYourWay or smaller stores, mattresses, appliances now it's in the best interest of everybody that the transformation will be successful.

Your coworkers or friends working at Sears are also interested to see this transformation work and you might get the opportunity later to work at a different place within Sears Holdings.