Comments on: Are Waterstones missing the point? Community is where it’s at.

By: anon

anon — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:35:08 +0000

I work for waterstones, and they are a bunch of bastards, period.

By: anon for fear of my job

anon for fear of my job — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:43:13 +0000

as a waterstone’s employee i agree with everything said here, they are an unscrupulous company with no regard for the employees they abuse on a daily basis. as soon as my contract is finished i intend blowing the whistle on these cold hearted, money munching fools

By: Missing the point? « Hooked on books

Missing the point? « Hooked on books — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:29:37 +0000

[...] Check out: Beattie’s Book Blog and Blending The Mix. [...]

By: blending the mix » …for those who thought the Waterstone’s problem might blow over…

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:03:00 +0000

[...] An incredibly insightful comment on this blog from an existing Waterstone’s employee shed yet more light on the scurilous practices adopted by Waterstone’s – this time behind the scenes. [...]

By: sick and tired waterstone's staff

sick and tired waterstone's staff — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 09:16:17 +0000

Sorry for the anon, but Waterstone’s crushes dissent from its staff. Just look on the web for yourself for the last poor soul who wrote a blog about the company.They fired him….is that not a little facist? So much for freedom of speech.I currently work for waterstone’s and have done for many years. This bung controversy is nothing new and Waterstone’s have done it for years. Many of us in the company do not like it since we believe books should be sold on merit, not according to which publisher has the deepest pockets. Waterstone’s have had poor results the last few christmas’s and this year they fancy that they can corner the market. Hence the huge sums they are asking publishers to stump up for prominent front of store displays. Bear in mind that they have a good opportunity this Christmas since they have purchased Ottakers and are killing off the competition.The company is also going through a so called ‘harmonisation process’ with regards to staff contracts at the moment. Senior booksellers will now be lumped in with new members of staff and the grading system is being done away with for good. Staff who refuse to sign these new contracts will not be entitled to progress further within the company; will not be entitled to any pay reviews or increases and will receive no annual cost of living increase. Many of us will lose a lot of money if we sign the new contracts and thus we are not signing. This means our futures at Waterstones are no more. The company has made it quite clear that it has utter contempt for its’ shop floor staff. So experienced booksellers are being forced out of the company. Meanwhile managers and directors of the company continue to award themselves outrageous pay increases. I only hope that the book buying public support workers rights, choice and no longer support this corporation. I for one will not be putting up with this corporate facism anymore and many of my colleagues who have been with the company for years will also be voting with their feet, straight out the front door. Waterstone’s hates bad publicity so I encourage fellow Waterstone’s staff to speak their mind on the internet. They have got away with treating staff like crap for too long and it’s about time we spoke out.

By: David Brain

David Brain — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:43:29 +0000

This is a much better summary of things then my post . . . but I wonder if they are watching or listening? Or do they have their had in their books all the time??