BDF Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_19336322?source=rss Anthony Hardwick says he resents working at Target on Thanksgiving and has garnered more than 37,000 signatures on an online protest petition. Target, Macy's, Gap, Kohl's, Toys "R" Us and Best Buy plan to open at midnight or earlier on Thanksgiving in an attempt to goose sales that the National Retail Federation says may rise 2.8 percent this holiday season, or about half as much as last year. Hardwick, 29, who says he has been a Target parking attendant in Omaha for three years, began the petition two weeks ago on the website Change.org after learning that he and his coworkers would be required to start at 11 p.m. Nov. 24 for a 10-hour shift. Read more: Target employee starts petition against working Thanksgiving Day - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_19336322?source=rss#ixzz1dsB4rJ1g Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse Edited November 16, 2011 by bigjimslade cant post full news stories. cut it down to a sample of the story
mom2monkiesx3 Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Kmart employees have always done this, why do Target employees think they are special. While I don't have to work that day nor will I shop that day I would understand if I worked in retail that I did. My DH doesn't get not ONE holiday off (not even Christmas Day) so maybe that is why I cannot wrap my head around this ???
mtsuboy Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Part of retail Great thing about America is that we're not forced to work where we don't want to.
Deal Grabber Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Kmart employees have always done this, why do Target employees think they are special. While I don't have to work that day nor will I shop that day I would understand if I worked in retail that I did. My DH doesn't get not ONE holiday off (not even Christmas Day) so maybe that is why I cannot wrap my head around this ???Target isnt even open on Thansgiving but Kmart is so they should feel lucky.But i do agree i dont think stores should be open on the holidays.I mean those employees have families also.I dont think a 9pm opening is all that bad.
shopping4my3son Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Kmart employees have always done this, why do Target employees think they are special. While I don't have to work that day nor will I shop that day I would understand if I worked in retail that I did. My DH doesn't get not ONE holiday off (not even Christmas Day) so maybe that is why I cannot wrap my head around this ???I have the same thoughts as you. I occasionally run to Kmart if something looks good. My DH also doesn't get holidays off and very little extra pay for working a holiday either. We knew this when he started (well kind of) lol.
BDF Posted November 16, 2011 Author Posted November 16, 2011 I for one just wish ALL stores would go back to the FRIDAY 5am sales. I don't like these 10pm and midnight openings.
toninjack Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Part of retail Great thing about America is that we're not forced to work where we don't want to.I agree!!! Hospitals are always open and the people working there also have families not just people working retail.
theboyzmom Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Kmart employees have always done this, why do Target employees think they are special. While I don't have to work that day nor will I shop that day I would understand if I worked in retail that I did. My DH doesn't get not ONE holiday off (not even Christmas Day) so maybe that is why I cannot wrap my head around this ???I don't work at Target, but I THINK this is because Target has never been open on Thanksgiving before. If you have worked at Target for years, this would be very new and potentially upsetting. If you JUST got hired in at Target, I would bet you were NOT told of the Thanksgiving opening upon hiring because it seems most of these retailers just made this decision recently. I understand there are many occupations where people are required to work on major holidays (there is another thread addressing this), but people in those occupations usually are in high NEED jobs or understood much earlier of the requirement. I used to work retail. Most companies do not care one bit about their associates. The hourly staff is disposable; work them to death and not worry about them is the way a lot of the companies act. If you ask for that day off, it is refused. If you don't show up, you are fired. Retail is hard work for very little pay. Add in how rude many customers can be, ESPECIALLY during BF, it hardly seems worth it....
otonoh Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I agree!!! Hospitals are always open and the people working there also have families not just people working retail.iI disagree, Shopping is not an essential service.
dealluvr Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 big deal . not like youre doing something all day.cooking is going on most of the day and then you eat. ok whats the problem.i have a job that is hopefully working into full time sometime soon. if i wasnt working at all i would not be complaining about working thanksgiving. at least youre working.be thankful for that
mamapenguin Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 People who don't want to work when required can feel free to find a new job. My son works all day on Thanksgiving: 8-5, he works at a grocery store.
laddhorn Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 When I worked retail, we always looked forward to the "given" days off. Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. The managers are salaried. During the holidays they work 80+ hours per week. Hourly people work random shifts which may include overtime. If they call in, they get written up or fired. I know of a pregnant woman who had a miscarriage due to how she was worked. And unfortunately, this is common. I know that they can "go find another job", but that shouldn't be how a company treats it's employees not to mention, they may not have any other option open to them.
emilygracesmom Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 A couple of years ago, my sister and I went to Kmart on Thanksgiving and we were talking to one of the associates and we apologized that she had to work that day for our selfish wants. She told us to not feel bad at all about it. She said that everyone working that day was done on a volunteer basis and that she needed the overtime and didn't mind working at all. I've never worked retail, but I have worked a job where I was required to work holidays, including Christmas Day. We were either rotated on a holiday schedule or the supervisors took volunteers first and then rotated the rest of us. I would venture to say that most employers have some type of "fair" system for who works when.
tinkrbel Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I think retail is just a crap chute I have applied everywhere known to man, I'd take any job and probably even work BF if need be at this point. It is not ideal but it IS the nature of the retail beast. Sure it would be nice if managers and higher ups gave even an ounce of consideration for employees but these days I think THAT is a rarity. I hope this guy doesn't get fired for his petition(and the attention he brought to Target) and I fully understand why he did it but I doubt it'll make any difference.
Deal Grabber Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I hope this guy doesn't get fired for his petition(and the attention he brought to Target) and I fully understand why he did it but I doubt it'll make any difference. ya know ive been thinking about that also but i think with the publicity this guy has gotten there is NOWAY Target would fire him.It would look bad.
mom2monkiesx3 Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I understand both sides, I really do. My baby sister works at Kmart. She is sceduled to open Thanksgiving and then close black friday. She didn't get a choice or volunteer. She needs a job. So she will do it. Thanksgiving dinner will be here waiting for her when she gets off. I think it makes you realize that you should be THANKFUL everyday and spend time with the ones you love EVERYDAY, not just certain days deemed holidays. My family is all spread out, besides me and my sister. AND both my parents and DH's are divorced and remarried. We find ourselves having holidays on different days OFTEN to accomodate everyone. Like I said my Dh works holidays, always has. I think that makes my view a little different then most. I don't think WORKERS petitioning will help...it would have to be SHOPPERS that do it. If shoppers don't show up retail managment has no reason to open. But that is of course NOT going to happen. So who is to blame? Retail or shoppers?
beccasbank Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I worked retail and a gas station for many years. I never minded working holidays. Usually I would be the first one to volunteer. I loved getting paid double or time and a half for working the holiday. I had small children at home, but on Christmas, our store didn't open until 9 or 10 AM and in all reality, all the presents were already open by then! Then dh would take them to grandma's to eat. They would either save a plate for me or schedule the eating time around my hours. It never really bothered me. Now we do the same thing for other family members. We either save a plate, or eat later or earlier depending on their work schedules. Sometimes, if we eat early and the family member is there due to work, we rewarm everything and eat all over again! Work schedules suck, but with the economy the way it is, I'd be happy I was working because I'm sure someone would be glad to take my place. In retail and gas stations, everyone is replaceable by 10 others willing to work the crappy hours and little pay.
savaladez Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I understand both sides, I really do. My baby sister works at Kmart. She is sceduled to open Thanksgiving and then close black friday. She didn't get a choice or volunteer. She needs a job. So she will do it. Thanksgiving dinner will be here waiting for her when she gets off. I think it makes you realize that you should be THANKFUL everyday and spend time with the ones you love EVERYDAY, not just certain days deemed holidays. My family is all spread out, besides me and my sister. AND both my parents and DH's are divorced and remarried. We find ourselves having holidays on different days OFTEN to accomodate everyone. Like I said my Dh works holidays, always has. I think that makes my view a little different then most. I don't think WORKERS petitioning will help...it would have to be SHOPPERS that do it. If shoppers don't show up retail managment has no reason to open. But that is of course NOT going to happen. So who is to blame? Retail or shoppers?I think if retail would open at 8am Friday, shoppers still would go.
tinkrbel Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 I think if retail would open at 8am Friday, shoppers still would go.Of course shoppers would STILL go if the sales were the same but that's not happening. They're testing if shoppers will go earlier and unless people want to miss a sale they WILL so I don't see anything going back to later openings.
Svuroo Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 My question is whether they actually are getting holiday pay. Sure 10 PM - 12 AM is a holiday but what about after that? That would be pretty ridiculous to have people work under terrible conditions in the middle of the night after a holiday and not at least get time and a half.
sgoodhue Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Interesting fact- this guy isn't even scheduled for either day!
tinkrbel Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Interesting fact- this guy isn't even scheduled for either day!LOL....he's doing it for the principle:P
conj Posted November 17, 2011 Posted November 17, 2011 Retail is a service. They provide a service. A majority of their customers have time to *shop* on thanksgiving, and are willing to spend money. Especially if their competitors are open, they lose out on a lot of potential sales (and revenue) by not being open, that wont help anyones job situation, either. It stinks when we *have* to work, at any time. I don't blame the guy for being upset, but I also think there is no reason for the petition to be taken seriously. Yes, I've worked retail. I've worked plenty of holidays. And, I've volunteered my time on holidays at Rehab centers. And I've enjoyed holidays off.
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