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Fun 1 AM Fact:Posted on: June 30, 2008 The Inital D Soundtrack Box Set not only counts as a full, complete soundtrack for every single Initial D anime ever made, but it also counts as a near complete soundtrack for every single ParaParaParadise game made. YOU RAGE YOU LOSE |
The Shakedown; or How I Had My Job Threatened TodayPosted on: June 20, 2008 Let’s bring up a definition, this will be important later on:
The Tops I work at, like many other Tops stores, has a Citizens Bank branch located in-store, mostly for convenience, with its own ATM that they manage (otherwise the store would have to have their own ATM to manage,) and people who have an account with them can get their banking done and do their groceries at the same time. If employees want to, they can open an account and just then turn around and immediately deposit it into an account (kind of like a “sneaker-net” direct depoist.) They even encourage this at the orientation, where they had a representative of the branch come in and introduce themselves. Unfortunately, it seems, the people that run this branch are a little bit too pushy with the employees about creating an account with them. The person at my orientation went, I think, a little too far and asked me and the other person there what bank we currently use (not that this is any of their business,) the other person already had an account with them (and was also under 18, so no further pushing could be done anyway,) but I was a bit unlucky, since I’m over 18 and am free to do all the financial things I want, including fucking up my credit history if I so desired, so she felt free to do far more pushing with me when I answered the question confidently with “Cornerstone Community FCU.” Now, let me get thie straight: I love Cornerstone as a bank. I’ve been with them since I was a kid and they were called Unit No. 1 FCU and only served employees of the GM/Delphi plant in Lockport, along with their family. They have served me very well as a bank, having a very low minimum balance on their savings accounts, no minimum on checking accounts, free checking (you pay only for checks, like with any other bank,) free ATM access, free Visa Debit, free web access, the works, basically. They stay competitive with the large banks by meeting and beating what they provide, and they have given me no problems over the years, and they have worked with me even while I’ve been at UB, which requires me to stay in Amherst, well out of the Niagara County area they serve, most of my days. Upon hearing this, she just goes to tell me, all seriously, “You need a bigger bank” (”Really? They come in different sizes?”) and then proceeds to tell me all the wonderful features I’ll get with a bank account from them, including the gimmicky giveaway gift, to which I tell her I already get through my bank at the same cost, minus the gimmick. I tell her that I might think about it (just to get her to shut up,) and I proceed through the rest of my orientation. I think nothing of it, and never decide to get an account. So, come to today, I’m on my break, I had just picked up my paycheck for the week, and I’m looking over the pay stub when she sits down at table I’m at (I go to the carryout area for my breaks, rather than the breakroom.) I recognize her and suddenly think “This is not going to end well.” She starts asking me about some customer that someone else had dealt with a few days ago (and was somehow connected to getting Citizens Bank involved,) and asked me if I was the cashier handling this customer, I wasn’t since I don’t ever recall any customer like that. For whatever reason, she decides it’s okay to start talking about banking and me, and asks again what bank I use (again, none of her damned business.) Then she remembers who I am, she asks me why I haven’t made an account, I tell her I don’t really care to have an account with Citizens, and I don’t need another bank account to deal with. She asks “Why not? You could take that paycheck and turn right around and cash it right here!” and I tell her that it’s hardly more inconvenient to me, since my bank has a branch about two blocks away from my house, and I don’t mind the short distance (I also pass the main branch on my way to work.) Note: I could also get direct deposit to my bank if I wanted to, but that would require finding the right person with the forms and filling them out and then getting back to that right person. I don’t mind cashing my check in person though, since I don’t want all of my paycheck to go into my savings or checking account, and I also keep some money to pay as compensation for travel to my parents. She again goes on about all the great features Citizens has, that I already have with my bank, and I still decline. She tells me that I can’t get that paycheck cashed here if I wanted to (wrong, I can have my paycheck cashed at the Customer Service desk if I want to.) since I’m not a member of the bank. I tell her “So what? I don’t need to.” She continues on and says I could sign up for my account right now with even only a dollar and she’d be done by the time I’d leave for work, and I still insist that’s not necessary. I notice she has a pad with papers for signing up an account in her hands, I can tell she’s serious about me getting this damned account somehow, and she’s being very slimy about it. It’s also at this time that I notice, how convenient, her nametag is completely obscured by bullshit about the sign-on perks du jour. I’m already wishing she would get out of my face by this point, but nothing could prepare me for how far she was going to take this. She asks me “How many hours do you work a week?” (another none of your damned business question.) I’m confused where she’s going, but I’m curious to see where she goes (curiosity killed the cat they say?,) so I say “Usually 20.” She replies back “I’m friends with all of your managers, so all I have to do is talk to them and have your hours reduced. How does 15 hours sound?” I’m still not following her quite yet, so I say “I’ve been scheduled less.” and she shoots back with “Fine then, how about 10 hours? All I have to do is talk to your manager and it’ll be done.” She starts to leave while I’m sitting there going “What.” and says to me “I’ll get you to create an account one way or another.” to which I say “What is this, the fucking mafia?” During this I’m trying to laugh it off, but it had hit me: she just threatened my job, using extortion. I go to punch back in from my break, and sure enough, she’s talking to my manager, I try to laugh it off in front of her, but as soon as my back is to her, I’m fucking livid. Who the fuck do you think you are to think it’s acceptable behavior to do this to a potential customer? Not only is it terrible business practice, but it’s very illegal (in some cases, all that’s needed is intent.) I’m not too worried yet, but I’m going to have to keep my eyes open, watch for any difference in treatment by my superiors, and see how the schedule for the first week in July pans out. If it’s drastically reduced, I’m gonna talk to my managers about it. And if it still continues, I’m prepared to fight in any way I can, and I will win, and I will take down whoever necessary in the process. It’s also convenient to note that this week’s paycheck was the first paycheck that had union dues taken out, so hey, another arsenal at my disposal. I know it sounds stupid to be this worked up about making a bank account, but, besides doing something very illegal, she insisted upon using bad business practice, and if I were to make a bank account and throw a buck in there and never use the account, that would be a) a buck I won’t see back and b) telling them that it’s okay to continue to use these kinds of practices. She completely ignored my right as a consumer to choose where and how I store my hard-earned money and is preying on the fact that I’m an employee at the store that rents a portion of it’s space to them, so I can’t easily escape her. Before, I really didn’t care if I had a bank account with them or not, but now, I’m convinced, with proof, that I don’t want it, and I’m on the verge of just outright boycotting them. So this person singlehandedly not only make me not even ever consider getting a bank account with Citizens Bank (there are better “big” banks, to be quite honest,) but she also commited a felony! Good going! |
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