So I applied for a job today.

[gvstn]

6. They probably have a minimum number of full time workers.

Basically department heads are all full time. Then for everyone else they hire all part time. The thing is a full time worker is a lot more expensive. A part timer might get $300 a month towards pension/healthcare benefits where a full timer might get $700. It is cheaper for the store to pay two part timers then to pay one full timer. It was very common even 20 years ago for stores to hire as few full timers as possible. Keeping all part timers below 35 hours. New contracts may have lowered that to 29. Workers can still get overtime but can't work more than 40 hours for a certain number of weeks before they have to be moved to full time. I'm sure it is someone's primary job to make sure no employee works enough that they have to be moved to full time and juggles the schedule accordingly.

The meat union is really the only strong one. The retail clerks doesn't have a lot of bargaining power, they only survive because they are backed up by the meat unions.