“This is something we’ve been talking about the last couple months,” Tribolet shared about their decision. “Until Friday night when we walked away, this weekend was my first time off since Christmas.”
Tribolet said the staff was underpaid and overworked. Adding that she had been working seven days a week for months because, as a manager, she only had a specific number of hours per month to allot to her staff. Tribolet said she would be taking a mental health break while other staff members moved on to new jobs they had lined up already.
Tribolet said the decision had not been easy as the staff did not want to leave customers who depended on them stranded. However, they could not keep going with their hard work, remaining unappreciated. The reason might seem strange to some, but it seems like the staff really felt strongly about how hard they had been working without reward or appreciation for it.
“A lot of our regulars came in there every day, and it’s hard on all of us to not be able to see them every day because they brighten your day,” she said.
A company spokesperson said the store was closed on Saturday morning for about three hours. It now has a totally new staff.
The spokesperson said Dollar General is “committed to providing an environment where employees can grow their careers and where they feel valued and heard. “
Tribolet said that “the last straw” was the store’s food donation policy. She was disturbed by how many items were thrown out. She shared that while Dollar General donates food to pantries, only a portion of what is available at the store helps people.
“There have been tears that have been shed over the fact that we’re throwing away coffee that is not expired, but it’s close,” Tribolet shared. “Or you’re throwing out a box of Lucky Charms that you know there’s a whole bunch of kids that would love to eat those, but you can’t donate them out because you’re supposed to throw them away,” she said.
Dollar General’s public relations team has said that they have been following Feeding America donation guidelines.
