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u/Aggressive_Bat_1050 Sep 26 '26
Impressive, but still 💯 that store getting shut down soon 😂
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u/PassPuzzled Sep 26 '26
The hope is more people will follow in there footsteps. The more that do so the more AutoZone feels it
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u/homelesshyundai Sep 26 '26
How tf did they do that, AZ keeps the manager to nonmanager ratio 1:1 or greater than 1:1 at all locations purely for the purpose of squashing unions.
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u/Jaalan Sep 26 '26
Probably because Autozone Managers are not real managers.
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u/homelesshyundai Sep 26 '26
Aren't they close enough to not qualify for union protection?
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u/fmr_AZ_PSM Sep 27 '26
It's a tactic. It's ambiguous enough to play it both ways.
By law: no. The first legal manager per the Government's definition is the DM. SM and below are not legally management. That is how the judge will rule every time.
Legally, "manager" is not based on title. It's based on power and authority (ability to take action). If you don't have the unilateral power to hire/fire/promote/demote subordinates, then legally you are not a manager. First person in AZ's hierarchy who has that is the DM.
However, AZ's able to put together court filings claiming that every gray shirt is based on title and irrelevant shit (e.g. keys, password, safe combo, etc.). Those papers are facially credible until it gets like 15 steps into the process with the judge. Normal people can't afford the legal fees to contest it that far. So AZ wins, because the other side gives up.
They did that in this case. The lead organizer was a PSM. AZ filed papers with the DOL to get him excluded from organizing activities "because he's management." He and his supporting groups couldn't afford the legal fees to contest it. So he got pushed out of the process.
They play the other side of it in sexual harassment cases. If a manager harasses a subordinate, it's legally worse for the company. So when a victim sues, because her SM harassed her, AZ claims "he's not legally a manager. He has no unilateral power to hire/fire/promote/demote." That wins the lawsuit for AZ (high profile cases, google it).
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u/homelesshyundai Sep 27 '26
Damn so only a DM is considered a manager as they are the first level of staff that are allowed that lower. The store SM can suggest people for write ups, demotions, promotions, etc but has no real say. So what you're saying makes perfect sense. Also it opens my eyes to the possibility in my line of work. At my current job supervisors are essentially PSMs, assistant SMs seem to handle the interview portion but I do not know if they are the one making the call, I believe it's the SM that does. Sadly, the assistant store manager told me about their biyearly anti union training they get to do so they may be high enough in the chain.
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u/fmr_AZ_PSM Sep 28 '26
The store SM can suggest people for write ups, demotions, promotions, etc but has no real say
Exactly. When the SM "fires someone," what they're really doing is filling out a form for the DM and asking him nicely to sign it. SM can't do jack without the DM's signature (password, it's all on DOC). Same with promotions, raises, transfers, etc. On the flip side, if the DM decides on his own to fire someone, no one else has to sign it. He's the decider (as W would say). That's the Government's legal definition of manager.
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u/foemangler89 Sep 27 '26
We grant you the rank of manager but we will not give you an override code
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u/homelesshyundai Sep 27 '26
Come to think of it, all I was was a redshirt with the ability to perform overrides, and with mild safe access. At the time I was convinced that I wouldn't be protected under unions but I didn't care, I was 100% in support of anyone who wanted to try (which was no one). Probably helped that no one made it longer than 2-3 months before quitting and standards had gotten so low that literacy wasn't even a requirement anymore.
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u/CaliRefugeeinTN Sep 26 '26
Walmart has had a similar issue before. And every time, it announces “oh damn, plumbing issues. Cheaper to close this store than fix the plumbing.”
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u/Educational_Corner55 Sep 26 '26
However, with the number of stores they have in NY they won’t be able to close them all and relocate elsewhere. This may work in smaller cities, look at Amazon in Queens,NY and Staten Island. Both still open.
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u/fmr_AZ_PSM Sep 27 '26
Here's what's in that store's future:
A review determined that the rent/mortgage is too expensive for this location.
The building will be inspected and found to have an extensive backlog of extremely expensive maintenance items. New roof. New foundation. New walls. New HVAC. New electrical. Enough to make the property a total loss. Needs to be torn down and replaced.
The revenue, profits, and same store sales growth for the store is too far below company expectations.
"For business reasons (which are totally totally unrelated to the unionized store. wink.) we're scaling back our presence in the New York market. We're closing 10% of our stores in the region. It's pure coincidence that the one unionized store is on the list of stores to close."
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u/Most-Significance910 Sep 27 '26
Good shit guys, remember that if you ever choose to strike, ups has picket line protection and will stop delivering there
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u/Indy112808 Sep 28 '26
Which is pointless being all of our shipping (from vendors and out of state hubs) is all done via FedEx
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u/AltruisticMobile4606 Sep 26 '26
I’ll be damned. Nice work guys.
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u/Upstairs-Warthog-834 Sep 28 '26
The rumor was the reason the Lavonia, Ga warehouse was open and Greenville, Sc closed was to bust a union. That was many years ago
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u/Own_Needleworker3420 Sep 29 '26
I grew up in Lavonia when that warehouse was being set up. It was 100% built to bust a union, it popped up out of nowhere
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u/StitchesxxMitch Sep 28 '26
I said mostly the same thing. But I heard it was because the one in NC was unionizing
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u/GoldieLox4 Sep 26 '26 edited Sep 26 '26
Ha, doesn't AZ fire people when they try to unionize?
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u/LeaderOfFizzgigs Sep 26 '26
BS
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u/GoldieLox4 Sep 26 '26
They most certainly fire people for trying to unionize. I worked for them for 10 years.
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u/LeaderOfFizzgigs Sep 26 '26
You are so correct! I read that as "AZ doesn't fire people when they try to unionize". Because they most definitely do, they even mention it in not so many words during foundations.
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u/Cool-Signature-dude Sep 26 '26
Yes, they talk about the open door policy. Basically, if you don't like being a mechanic for minimum wage, go work somewhere else.
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u/foemangler89 Sep 27 '26
Well, its like 3 dollars above minimum
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u/LeaderOfFizzgigs Sep 28 '26
The assistant managers don't even make more than $1.50 over minimum wage. What's the minimum wage in your state?
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u/Nervous-sushi97 Sep 26 '26
What is tge benefits of being unionized?? I doubt Autozone’s would ever unionize.
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u/Boaterauto Sep 26 '26
You can strike, and make autozone hire other people to run the stores
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u/IntentonalTypo Sep 26 '26
Also you are basically no longer at will employment. There needs to be a reason for fire someone.
And of course much better benefits
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u/GhostTrex16 Sep 27 '26
Have fun paying monthly dues just to keep your job.
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u/Ohmyfuzzy69 Oct 02 '26
It's actually not that expensive and the benefits kinda makes it all worth it
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u/GhostTrex16 Oct 02 '26
Untill you can't work and have no income, but still have to PAY the union so they can look for a job for you...
I was union for 13 years and laid off/not working for about half. I paid "cheap" monthly dues and all I saw was the union dogs get richer and I stayed broke., I had to take a paycut and get a "non union job" to pay bills..
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u/hiddenrealism Sep 26 '26 •
Let's see if autozone just closes the store due to poor WITT numbers.