Welcome to all new supporters, and thank you to EVERYONE for your continued support and sharing of this petition. Kudos to all the news articles and people sharing their stories. My name is Michelle, and I created this petition. Initially, I wanted to keep my story out of the petition to keep it to the point/generalized, but as we grow and share stories, I would love to share some information on why I feel so strongly about Sears Canada breaking contracts with their former employees. I'm almost 30 years old. When I was 5, my family moved to a small community, and my mother began a new job at Sears Canada. Fast forward 24 years, and in March 2017 her place of employment, her livelihood, her day to day routine - ended. This particular store was small, and as I said, in a small community. The fear of closure looming over them on more than one occasion before Sears' financial troubles began. Through hard work, new management, and strategic retail floor work (and amazing personalities) the store brought itself not only back from the brink, but began to succeed. When the news came that this location would too be closing, regardless of their increased sales and thriving environment, my mother and the co-workers - more importantly the friends - she had shared a life with for 24 years were shocked and saddened. Like any closure, HR stepped in and met with everyone. Yes, some employees would get no severance, some little, some more than others. These packages were based on length of employment, and the men and women were content with their packages and excited for a new chapter in their lives as the extended packages were to be paid out -- my mother for example; having a summer off for the first time since I was 5 years old. My mother and these other employees, who signed contracts, made agreements, did not push for lump sums , did not apply for courses or schooling or other jobs because it would void their contracts for severance were last paid on June 22nd, 2017. Just like that, everything on the floor. My mother at 55 years old - planning on severance until the end of the year, then unemployment if finding a stable job in our small community wasn't fruitful right away, was starting at zero. No income, no unemployment because the Records of Employment for these employees stated what amount of severance they would be paid. and thus had to be amended before they could move forward, no plan for the time being because they were told not to look if they wanted their money - nothing. At this point in my mother's life, the idea of her having to scramble to get employment, have stable income, and plan how to take on a second career, makes me sick to my stomach. She keeps a brave face as she always does, but I start to hear some panic in her voice. These men and women who I have met and grown with since I was 5 years old, they're sticking together, they're crying together, they're meeting once a week for coffee and clinging to the family bond they had through Sears Canada, while Sears leaves them behind. It's not anger at the fact that Sears is struggling, that they're still having to close stores, that 2900 more employees will not even be offered ANY severance... it's the fact that signed contracts were put into play, and cancelled. That Sears made contracts with FULL KNOWLEDGE (because honestly, how could they not know what would happen, it was on their doorstep) that these employees would not see their full severance. It's the fact that over 9 million dollars in retention payments were paid to executives who were not on the ground floor, not using their skills in customer service, not putting personal pride, touches, love and personality into each display, interaction and transaction. 75%-100% salary bonuses? While people are denied a signed contract still owed $16,000 for 24 years of service? Yes, these execs still need a job too, I'm sure any bonus would have kept them on if they were even half as dedicated as these retail workers were to this company. So here I am. Sticking with this small group of former employees, my mother included. Getting updates on the first round of unemployment payments that have come through (for some, not all) after the amended RoE's came out about a month past when they were told by HR they would get them. I'm grabbing pamphlet's for my mother about second career training options, she's setting up financial adviser meetings to move her pension money as far away from Sears' as she can. We're planning on writing her resume for the first time in 24 years. These are people, these are families. They are the blood and the heart and the spine of Sears Canada and they are suffering. How do you stand straight with no spine? How do you keep moving forward with no blood pumping? How do you survive without a heart? Though we may not make any changes to this situation in particular, perhaps we can all work together to prevent it from happening to others. Let's hope that we can go before the Court, speak our piece, shine a light on the poor planning and execution of the tactics of this business. Yes, we hope they survive, there are more people at stake here. However, we would like what was promised as well. In short; love each other, support each other - speak up for those who may not do it of their own accord. Remember that routine and normalcy can be taken away at any moment. Thank you all for your time, for your support, your kind words and the fire in your bellies. Please keep pushing forward - sign and share. Michelle