After 47 yrs. as a Funeral Director, the last 17 yrs. under Corporate ownership, Alderwoods that fied bankruptsy, lastly by Service Corporation International. SCI is the largest conglomerate of funeral homes in the world with approximately 1800 funeral homes.
I was a manager for 15 yrs. under private owners and corporate owners. This Corporation is the most underhanded group of funeral home owners I ever worked for. Their directors are drilled to be salesmen not funeral professional Directors, if any resistance to this training is expressed the perpetrator will be chastised as I was. I was sent for more training that was conducted by a young and new director that was only 2 yrs. in out of Mortuary College and green as to the mission I was taught from being a director under the private owners.
Be aware that the directors of SCI are there to sell you what is called a "Funeral Package" which has a lot of junk in the package that the grieving family are are incouraged to purchase. Some items such as a"Memorial Tribute CD" of a limited number of pictures for $495.00 which can be processed by a person that has minimal equipment for $15.00 or lessand the items go on and on.
I was offering the families ways to save money and get what they needed only and that was not tolerated. I began to be accused of Sexual Harrassment, even though I was 72 yrs old and married to my wife for over 50 yrs. and the prople that made these charges left employment shortly after I was discharged. One was at the funeral home only 8 months and the other was charged with embesselment for several thousand dollars and paid SCI $14,000.00 to settle. She quit a few days after I was dismissed. This was a simple age discrimination but I couldn't prove it because I couldn't prove a negative. I still maintain a good relationship with some of the directors at Day Funeral Home. Day refused to allow me to speak to my accusors with them present. If anyone in need of Funeral Services, for your financial concern, I would never use any SCI funeral Home that are also marketed as "Dignity Memorial".