Complaint Review: Regal Entertainment Group - United Artist's Theatres

I had worked for United Artist's Theatres for about a year and a half, when Mr. Summer asked me during August 2002 if I wanted to become a part time manager for the theatre. I said I would, and assumed that after training, and appropriate clearances from the company headquarters, I would be given a dollar raise from $6 to $7 per hour, considering that the theatre had a sign stating that the theatre was hiring managers at $7 per hour in the box office window.

Two weeks or so after my promotion had been agreed upon by Mr. Summer, he decided to hire another manager who had previously worked at another theatre. The gentleman who he hired as a manager directly after me started earning $7 per hour without having any of the proper company clearances. He was simply hired-on as a manager at the pay rate of $7 per hour. I, on the other hand, worked the same number of hours at the theatre as the newly hired gentleman, doing the same management tasks, and my duties were simply refered to as "training."

My "training" went on for several months before I attempted to say something to Mr. Summer about the fact that I still had not received a raise. He explained to me that when I had better availability, then we could discuss whether I would be getting a raise or not. So, regardless of the fact that I had been taking on all of the management duties, until I--a part-time hourly manager--could produce greater personal availability for United Artist's Theatres, I would not be receiving a raise.

I decided to call the district manager, Paul Stinson, and describe to him how I thought I was being treated unfairly because of my sex. It seemed ridiculous that I was working the same number of hours and doing the same tasks as the newly hired gentleman manager. While he had received his raise within his very first paycheck, I worked for six months and I simply did not receive a raise. I was making the same amount of money that I had been making when I was the lowest rank in the company. I had more chores and responsibilities, and I didn't receive any payment for them.

After discussing my issues with the district manager and Mr. Summer together, Mr. Stinson told Mr. Summer to go ahead and put my raise into the computer, so that I could start receiving a raise immediately. Mr. Stinson had said this in front of both of us, together. I did not receive the raise that Mr. Stinson instructed Mr. Summer to give me.

When my checks of retro-pay did come in, they were only for the months of January and February of 2003. I did not get any retro-pay for the 5 months in 2002 when I had been carrying out both the management duties and title. Most likely, I will not ever see the retro-pay I should. You do not make enough at United Artist's Theatre to hire a lawyer.

And it is true about the hot dogs, which are affectionately called "Summer Dogs" by the staff forced to serve them to customers. The district manager knows about them, too.

Bethany
Denton, Texas
U.S.A.