A 17-year-old former Walmart employee skyrocketed to fame last week. In a video that he himself released, he hijacks Walmart's own intercom system to tell the entire store exactly why he's quitting. His expletive-laden rant is followed by applause and cheers from shoppers. Walmart itself is less than thrilled. If you've ever wondered why some employees are escorted from buildings after quitting or being fired, here is why. On Thursday afternoon, a teen named Jackson Racicot uploaded a video of him using Walmart's own intercom system to quit his job. “Attention all shoppers, associates, and management,” the 17-year-old's rant begins. “I would like to say to all of you today that nobody should work here, ever,” he announces. He then accuses: “Our managers will make promises and never keep them.” “[Management] will preach to us about how they care about their employees,” he says. Walmart has been very controversial during the past couple of decades for their alleged treatment of employees. “But about a month ago,” Jackson says. “My boss, assistant manager Cora called me a 'waste of time.'” That is not an acceptable way for one human being to speak to another, especially in the workplace. “And,” Jackson reports. “Management did nothing.” He says that he has worked there for over a year, but can no longer bring himself to work there. “I'm sick of all the bulls–t, bogus write-ups and my job,” he announces. “F–k management, f–k this job, and f–k Walmart,” he concludes. Some may find that the video gives them secondhand embarrassment — perhaps as they recall their own frustrations as teenagers. However, it sounds like his sentiment was well-received by shoppers at Grande Prairie Walmart. One can hear cheers and applause as he walks away from the phone. “I got fed up,” Jackson latere explained in an interview with the Edmonton Journal . “I don't regret what I did,” he affirms. Though he received a lot of support, others warned him about potential backlash for his brazen exit. “I went into this knowing what will happen,” Jackson says. Quitting a job spectacularly may make a splash, but it can also hurt your chances at future employment for obvious reasons. Some even feared that Walmart might try to take him to court over the video — but others suggest that the brand doesn't want additional bad PR. Walmart released a statement in response. “We are aware of the video circulating online,” the statement confirms. “And are disappointed by this incident.” It's unclear whether they're disappointed by how he quit, or by the events that led to it. “Respect for all individuals including our associates and customers is a core value at Walmart,” the statement claims. “We are looking into this matter,” Walmart concludes. “And will address it internally as required.” That is all very, very vague. Walmart may feel tempted to make an example of Jackson to discourage other employees from turning sour grapes into viral fame. That would probably not go over well with the public — though the retail behemoth is no stranger to bad publicity. Many people who have worked in retail or similar positions felt discomfort at the video. Lots of employees have had bad managers — but they've also had bad coworkers who blames managers for calling them out. We don't know what really went on prior to Jackson leaving his job, and we suspect that Walmart wants to find out before they say anything further. For now, Jackson is a symbol of workers who feel used and marginalized by soulless monopolies. But that perception could change.
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Walmart Employee Rage-Quits Over Intercom, Says NO ONE Should Work There
