Theft Narratives and the Sabotage Tradition
摘要
This chapter analyzes employee theft within retail settings as a form of infrapolitical resistance, drawing upon worker narratives and theoretical frameworks. Two-thirds of interviewed workers reported observing theft, indicating its widespread nature. Motivations ranged from perceived “just compensation,” echoing historical labor struggles, to direct resistance against corporate injustices, as exemplified by Benjamín's “fuck the system” sentiment. This chapter highlights a general indifference towards theft among workers, contributing to its prevalence. It also examines organized theft schemes, including those involving management, which reveal systemic issues and employee solidarity against corporate interests. Narratives from workers fired for theft, such as Paul, Jada, and Imani, suggest potential racial biases within corporate disciplinary actions. Framing these actions within the context of workplace sabotage, this chapter draws from anarchist perspectives, positing theft as a manifestation of worker dissatisfaction. It challenges the conventional view of workplace reform as the sole aim of worker resistance, suggesting that employees often seek autonomy and meaning beyond their jobs. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the complex interplay between economic necessity, ideological dissent, and the reclamation of dignity in the context of retail employee theft.