Posts by Gill

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

Thank you all for your replys. Sorry that I have not been able to get to the computer for the last couple of days and reply. It does help to see that so many others have the gut feeling that something is not right about this kind of behaviour. Sometimes you can wonder if you are just being 'overly sensitive' to something and I suppose that's why these firms get away with this kind of behaviour.

Scully - Thanks! You're right in that for someone like me with my past history, something like this may well be an unfortunate tipping point.....again. However, I was rather impressed with myself that I was, firstly able to get on the bus and go for the interview, sit in the job centre waiting to be interviewed and got through the interview well. Then, I sat through two days of induction with another 20 + people in a small room and didn't panic and 'run out screaming in terror!' It's nice to know that my brain is 'coming along' but I don't know if I could take any kind of 'indignity' to be honest. However, my husband has said that at any point I want to 'walk' and just leave the job, that's fine with him and though I don't feel I need his permission to do that, I feel I would like to push my 'emotional stability' a bit furthur. I am discovering that I am a different person to the broken one that left the WT nearly 6 years ago now. I fear no one, but still feel uncomfortable that anyone would have such power of another person to humiliate them every day. I shall see what happens.

DiamondBlue1974 - Thanks so much for that information. Certainly strikes me that they do not trust their employees at all. Even the delivery drivers are searched on arrival and leaving the premises! Stinks of acute paranoid delusions to me and I wondered if the fact that the shop chain is 'family owned' gave them an overwhelming verging on psychotic 'feeling' that their stock was ( and I accept that it is) but that their stock is 'theirs and theirs alone' but to a greater extent than say Tescos' or Asda stores who are not family run, and so they behave in such a bizarre and extreme manner.

If their loses due to theft are as high as they claim and shop lifters and staff appear not to be at fault since they are so maniacally searched, it may well be that the people at the top of the organization who escape searching might well be to blame for the thefts rather than the underclass minions that they chose to blame.

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

Thanks everyone. Your replys are helpful.

We talked about it at home last night and husband and daughter both said they would never in a million years work somewhere that searched your bag and person everyday. So, I'm wondering what to do and whether to do as some have suggested and see how 'bad' it really is before I quit.

Also, if they are insisting that half of their theft if from their own staff, how come the theft is still taking place if they search all their staff every single day. I'd like to know the source of their claim that fifty fifty of their theft is customers and staff.

Also, why do shop lifters supposedly have more rights than an innocent member of staff? Just makes no sense to me.

I may not be working for Wilkinson Stores for long!

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

Brinjen - The bag search is uncomfortable enough, but I don't like even more the 'stripping off'. Again, they are not permitted to touch you BUT, being a 'peeping Tom' I believe is illegal in the UK and being forced to strip at all and reveal you tummy, pants, etc feels degrading.

I didn't sign up to be something to titilate some bloke, and there are some very young pretty girls who work there who may be unsure what their rights are on this and I will have to find out.....soon.

I was hoping someone would know for sure but this feels to me like a violation of the Human Rights Act and I will investigate..

25

My Older Witness Mom Admits to me - "It's a Man's Organization "

by flipper in

jw
friends

i was having a normal conversation with my witness mom 81 years old ( a witness for 57 years ) and the subject came up about my 56 year old sister who recently suffered a stroke in february .

my sister suffered for years with post-traumatic stress syndrome from an extremely abusive jw husband throughout the 1980's.

she was beaten, raped forcibly by him, and emotionally abused by his drug induced screaming rants, and to top that off; cheated on her constantly- even with sisters in the congregation.

Gill

Flipper - Your Mum is right. It is a very sad thing to see people abuse power, but 9 out of 10 people will abuse power they are given especially if their 'eternal life' or any other well being or benefits of their own are at risk.

No Elder wants back chat from his wife and keeping women 'in their place' has sadly been the objective of many organizations not just the WT Society, but that doesn't make it any less guilty of this abuse.

I'm sorry for your sister but glad she escaped her husband eventually.

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

Bring_the_Light - I'm feeling rather rebellious myself!!

Noontide - I will 'just see what happens' BUT, to be honest, I'm not the kind of person who can take 'being pissed on' lightly and without consequences to my own 'well being'.

They have also the usual CCTV surveillance including locker rooms but they said they use 'covert surveillance' also.

The whole thing feels 'creepy'.

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

Thanks, SirNose, logic&reason and Babayaga. Sometimes you come up to these obstacles and you know it feels bad and wrong but you don't know if it's 'just you' that feels that way.

My family, when I got home were not happy with it and to be honest I feel sick to my stomach and horrible.

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

Hi Paul!

The store is Wilkinson Stores.

I also didn't like the attitude of the instructor as she said when you are searched, two people have to be there just so that in her words: 'Some silly person doesn't say 'He touched me!' " She was not taking into account that this could turn into an abusive situation. What if two men had to search you and they stuck up for eachother and lied about what happened?

This situation leaves women and men open to abuse and is quite sick making.

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

I thought I wanted to work for them, and they pay pretty well for what the work is BUT, I really feel very uncomfortable, not because I would steal anything from them, but the very thought that they do not trust anyone who works for them and that you have to be searched and even 'expose' yourself to a certain extent. At times when I will be working there will not be many women at work and I do not want to be searched by a man and also, as you're probably aware, women do tend to carry very personal items in their hand bags as a matter of necessity. Makes me feel sick that I may have to do any of this but if I knew I could refuse a search I may be willing to stand up to them, even if it does get me fired. If I know what my legal rights are I might not be so afraid.

43

Is being searched by your employer EVERY day legal?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the uk's largest hardware stores.. today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop.

you cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.. your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.. if i am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and i already feel 'violated' at the thought that i will have to go through this humiliation everyday.

this shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.. however, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.. so, am i correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!.

Gill

I am in the middle of induction training for a new job at a local store that is one of the UK's largest hardware stores.

Today we were told it was company policy that every staff member is searched everyday before they leave the shop. You cannot, under any circumstances leave the store until you have been searched both your bag and person and sometimes you car also searched.

Your handbag has to be emptied and searched, your pockets have to be emptied and you have to take off whatever clothes you are told to take off including shoes, roll up your shirt above waist level if you are a woman and loosen the waist band of your trousers.

If I am right, even the police are not permitted to search anyone without due cause and I already feel 'violated' at the thought that I will have to go through this humiliation everyday. This shop basically sells toiletries, garden stuff etc and insist that half of their theft if from staff.

However, we were also told that shoplifters cannot be stopped unless they have been followed all round the store and their is 100% knowledge that they have stolen something as a stop and search would get the store into terrible trouble.

So, am I correct in thinking that these people are going to violate my human rights every day!

I feel quite bad about it already. They're virtually saying that all their staff are thieves.

Help! I'm feeling quite sick about it all!

If they sold gold and diamonds I would understand such searches, ..... but toilet roll and dog food?!

125

Gas to hit 7 dollars per gallon

by 1914BS in

gas to hit $7 a gallonby marty jeromeapril 29, 2008 | 2:00:00 pmcategories: alt fuel, business, finance, fuel economy, policy, post-petroleum.

both qatar's oil minister and the head of opec can see oil hitting $200 a barrel before the end of the year and one analyst says gas could reach $7 a gallon within four years.

but this seems to explain part of what's happening with the price of oil.

Gill

Free2beme - You make a good point about price for food inflation as food prices are beginning to get ridiculous in the UK BUT, it's amazing how the supermarkets have put prices of food UP and brought prices of alcohol DOWN in the UK. It's as if they're only subsidising the drunkards, as if we don't have enough problem with alcohol in the UK!

Britain is already on its way to becoming a third world country and so is the United States. The days of the UK and USA being a strong, wealthy world power are finished and it finished the day they decided to waste all their financial assets on invading Iraq and Afghanistan!

The stupidity of Blair and Bush has destroyed our two countries and yet they will both be protected from the financial fall out of their horrendous error in judgement! WE will all pay the price for stupid leaders.

I believe in Karma, these days! What we have done to Iraq which includes the death of near enough a million innocents will be paid back on us and it will be the innocents who suffer again......it always is!