Unfortunately, this seems to be the norm for a lot of low-level jobs in the United States. You end up giving in because the job market for such jobs is saturated and others will take it for lower wages/off-the-books.
When I was 18 (many years ago), I remember having a job that did the same "we need you to stay later" BS. The buses stopped running at 8PM in the suburbs and I had to regularly walk 5-6 miles back home. Cabs and Lyft/Uber aren't much of an option when it would significantly eat into your paycheck. Most people get tired of giving you rides because you cannot afford a car.
Using a bicycle was more dangerous than walking; some people would throw things out their window at you or swerve/yell to scare you.
Factor in how managers "reward" certain employees with better shifts or punish by cutting hours. I could see why many people switch to the dole or dealing.
I bicycled to work for several years. Mostly cars full of shit-head teenagers that do that.
The really strange one was 5 AM on a 4 lane street, no other cars around, and a single car comes up behind me and starts honking, about hitting my rear tire.
Part of the problem are the actual employees. Many let themselves be abused and do accept these ridiculous shifts making you 'a bad employee' in the eyes of the boss.
When I was 18 (many years ago), I remember having a job that did the same "we need you to stay later" BS. The buses stopped running at 8PM in the suburbs and I had to regularly walk 5-6 miles back home. Cabs and Lyft/Uber aren't much of an option when it would significantly eat into your paycheck. Most people get tired of giving you rides because you cannot afford a car.
Using a bicycle was more dangerous than walking; some people would throw things out their window at you or swerve/yell to scare you.
Factor in how managers "reward" certain employees with better shifts or punish by cutting hours. I could see why many people switch to the dole or dealing.