The life of the early-riser is a peculiar one. Some of us have to do their part of society’s work early in the morning, so that others can enjoy the fruits of this labour later in the day. Take a minute to think of all the things that are done when you’re still asleep, so that it can be ready when you get up. This particular feature focuses on a quite often overlooked task: making sure your supermarket shelves are as full as they can get, when the store opens.
Work starts at 5.30am. There are probably earlier shifts for many others, but still, the roads are quite empty. Such an early start also means one would have to wake up even earlier and earlier again if one lives quite far from the work place. And then again, such an early rising suggest early bedding. They rarely get to see what popular culture has to offer: what’s popular being what’s seen by most people, and most people being able to enjoy these pleasures after 9.00pm, well, let’s just say some can’t really make this appointment.
They do not complain and when they are passionate about it, they make time. Conversations about football are quite often heard during the break, and therefore the world still turns for those who want to see it despite tiredness.
Being tired affects the ability to think and to concentrate. Luckily, none of that is needed to put products into a supermarket’s shelves. It’s a routine that doesn’t require much more thought than the basic counting and common sense you would even expect from a chimpanzee. Speed and a certain ability to endure some of the physical strains of a handling job are also expected, and one could think that tiredness would greatly influence those qualities. They do, partly, but this drawback is compensated but the lack of choice. Being slow means you’ll end your shift late, and since you’re not paid for extra-hours, who would want to do that? Being physically tired will also mean you’ll be late, or less efficient, and you’ll end up having even more to do if you don’t deal with it.
Basically, one is expected to hate the job enough to do it well, no matter how tired one can get. “No one is doing this because they like it,” explains Anne, who’s being working there for the past 6 years. “Sometimes, you just have to do whatever you can to pay your bills.” Anne is one of the highest-ranked employees in this particular supermarket, but this seems to be a slight under-achievement for someone who has her academic background. “I used to be a nurse, working in psychology departments. I worked there for over 20 years, but I have a bit of a temper, and I just couldn’t deal with the doctors anymore. It’s like they don’t care.” Do the bosses care more around here “No, but we don’t have to work with them, although I’ve been ejected from my first job here, in the [much less tiresome] Technology area for similar reasons.” Another member of the staff is a cook who lost his job and had to get back to work, no matter how. Most of them won’t really consider working in a supermarket as their own choice. It is something they have to do, and won’t take any pleasure in.
The permanent staff does get to go on holiday sometimes, taking back for a few weeks a “normal” rhythm and lifestyle. During the much calmer times of summer, they are replaced with temps such as Charlène, a 19 years-old student. “Sometimes there’s very little to do because no one comes to the store, and it makes it even worst” she says. “You feel like you had to get up very early for practically nothing, and you’re stuck here for 6 hours, tired, and you obviously can’t sleep.”
Some days are busier than others though. You’ll get a delivery every two days, making sure your allocated shelves don’t go empty. Depending on the shelves, such deliveries might double or triple your workload for the day, while the next might be as calm as it could be.
Clients are also a factor of their job. The store opens at 8.30am, and the first clients often wait for the doors to open like hyenas waiting for their turn on some great carrion. Once their in, they’re kings and an employee is just another word for a walking machine. “They expect you to know everything about every single shelf!” complains Charlène. “It’s like, ‘Where is the soap?’ no ‘Hello’, no ‘Please’, and how should I know, I’m working in the cheese department!” Anne also agrees: “Since they know you’re being paid for the job, they think they can do whatever they want, because it’s your job to make it right. They’ll take a can of beans in one shelf, and put it somewhere in the toilet paper shelf because they’ve just realised they don’t need beans, and can’t be bothered to put it back properly.”
When their shift is over, it’s nearly noon. They have the afternoon to themselves, 6 days a week. For those who work during these afternoons, the early-riser might seem like a bunch of lucky fellows and they are very well aware of that. “It’s great to have the whole afternoon to yourself” says Anne, “But do remember that not many people do. It basically means that all the people you know are out working when you’re just alone and tired.”
Maybe even the bright side isn’t bright enough, when you wake up before the sun rises.
