The company does pay well if you stay with them long enough. I am currently at top rate making more than twice what I made when I started. Took roughly 2 yrs to get there. However, the store that I work at is more loyal to their people and not so much to the company policies, thus some people are protected more than others. I have seen physical fights between managers and employees and sexual harassment cases overlooked simply because the store manager wants to keep key people(friends). This is why the company has a union, otherwise it would be much worse.
correction. took me roughly 6 yrs.
After 5 years at part time I was at maybe 3400 'class hours' and that set me at a hefty $10.50/hr. Whats minimum wage? 10.00?10.25? The pay is pathetic.I don't think it is so much that your managers wanted to keep friends, it was more likely that the union protected the employee(s) involved.