why are people up in arms over people having to work Thanksgiving?

[dabuddha]

but can't you literally "Cook and eat together. Watch a football game or a family movie. Call your relatives." every single day of the year?

Not with all of my extended family. I have my parents and my sisters family flying up this week.

 

[Wreckem]

A lot of people have to work on thanksgiving. Doctors, nurses, pilots, bus drivers, power plant operators, utility workers, etc etc.

So yeah I think he is saying that. Someone wants to travel on Thanksgiving, they can. Someone crashes their car after too much turkey, they get taken care of at a hospital. Someone wants to shop at 6:00 at walmart on Thanksgiving... they can. Sucks for the low-wage earner.. but it sucks for a lot of other people that want to be with family as well.

Lets not forget movie theater workers who make less than the avg retailer worker. Many of them have to work Thanksgiving Day and Xmas Day. Movie theaters, for whatever reason, are open 365 and have been for as long as I can remember(late 80s).

 

[waggy]

I worked at walmart and lowes. it was well known that most would have to work BF. it was just part of it.

Even after getting out of retail i still worked nearly every TG and after.

 

[soulcougher73]

I think everything outside of emergency personal should be closed that day.

 

[mmntech]

Even when I worked at the store, we were pressured into working holidays but I never recall being explicitly forced to. Even then, we got time and a half. We were also closed over Christmas since it was mostly people renting minivans to go to Florida at that time of year. So they'd be gone a week at a time and we didn't see enough traffic in between to cover expenses. Was one of the few places where it made zero economic sense to stay open.

In my current job, we're considered essential staff. All web and television production personnel are. Though it's rare full time folks like me have to work holidays. It's usually the weekend crew that does, and if they can't we have several on calls.

When you're trying to build up a career, working a few holidays is no big deal. Working at a place like Walmart though, especially when you're not getting OT, sucks. Though I think it's more a sad statement on our society than the ethics of the company. Like the rental place, those stores wouldn't be open if they weren't getting much traffic. We live in a world where it drives people insane if they can't go shopping for one day. Where people have literally trampled each other to death to get half priced DVD players. I think a lot of folks get off on that materialistic rush. Not me, and I don't contribute to it financially.

 

[rudeguy]

I am in the opposite category:

I just found out the office will be closed Wed at noon through Monday morning. That means almost 3 days worth of pay I won't be getting. Fucking sucks because its Christmas time and I was planning on going all out.

I feel like Clark getting his Jam of the Month Club envelope.

 

[PliotronX]

I am in the opposite category:

I just found out the office will be closed Wed at noon through Monday morning. That means almost 3 days worth of pay I won't be getting. Fucking sucks because its Christmas time and I was planning on going all out.

I feel like Clark getting his Jam of the Month Club envelope.

No swimming pool bonus?

 

[rudeguy]

No swimming pool bonus?

not even a flaming cat

 

[notposting]

between talking heads on the news and just talking to people in real life, it seems like there's a lot of outrage over stores people open over Thanksgiving and people having to work.

am I alone in my logic that I don't really get it? if I were a low-wage earning worker at Walmart, Target, etc... I'd be pretty glad to make the extra overtime money right before the holiday shopping season. less work = less money.

Yeah, I think if you are working there you should basically know what you are in for -- which is that you are disposable cog in the machine.

Now, I understand the "idea" that Thanksgiving should be for family blah blah blah. And it's a choice to be made, for everyone. I GUARANTEE a lot of these people bitching about it will be shopping that night. I won't be because I hate people and use Amazon Prime 360 other days of the year :awe:

I worked at Target a long time ago and I remember them playing really douchey games with pay. I think it was 4th of July week, 4th in the middle of the week. They wanted people to work it, and said you will get "holiday pay" for it, ie 1.5x wages. Worked it, plus the regular 5 days. Paycheck was 40 regular, and 8 ot wages. Was pretty pissed, by my thinking the "holiday" was worth time and a half, and by the end of the week when I was over 40 hours worked those were as well. Of course, their attitude was just, "oh, holiday pay? Yeah, you got 8 hours didn't you? Oh, overtime? Yeah, you got 8 hours didn't you?" Ended up quitting that shitty job in under a year and have never been back since.

(having crap like the above spelled out in contracts is really nice -- got into low volt electrical through an apprenticeship program, and holidays are defined, wages and any OT are defined, etc etc. So you know what you are getting)

 

[Capt Caveman]

but can't you literally "Cook and eat together. Watch a football game or a family movie. Call your relatives." every single day of the year?

It's the busiest travel time of the year for a reason. Many people fly/travel home to take advantage of the four day weekend they usually have. Most retail workers not only have to work Thanksgiving, BF but also Sat and Sunday.

Those in other professions usually do it for the OT or at the bottom of the totem pole in seniority.

Thus, why Thanksgiving is important for many people to have off.

 

[sourceninja]

Pointless consumerism is the most american thing you can do. If you are not out spending money for no reason except the promise of a shitty deal you are a communist.

 

[ultimatebob]

but can't you literally "Cook and eat together. Watch a football game or a family movie. Call your relatives." every single day of the year?

It's kinda hard to schedule something like that when there isn't a single day on everyone's schedule where they don't have to work.

If you get enough workplaces deciding that Thanksgiving isn't a mandatory holiday, it's going to make a family get together during the week basically impossible to schedule.

 

[Exterous]

am I alone in my logic that I don't really get it? if I were a low-wage earning worker at Walmart, Target, etc... I'd be pretty glad to make the extra overtime money right before the holiday shopping season. less work = less money.

Why do you assume they are getting OT? Sure some of them will but given the large number of seasonal help hired to deal with the increased holiday hours and staffing there is no guarantee of OT. When I worked you didn't get OT even during this week unless you had been there for a while or had some level of authority.

And its definitely not voluntary for some stores

Further - the hours really screw with spending time with your family. This is only going on comparison with the nurse and police officer in my family but if they worked Thanksgiving they could get the day after off or vise versa (Unless they wanted to work both days). It was unheard of for them to be required to work all four days. The schedules my manager friends have are 8-14 hours a day Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun so it is impossible for them to do even minor distance traveling to be with family.

Its likely a bit easier for regular employees in that they get a few hours on Thanksgiving to spend with family before spending Thurs-Sun at work

I think it would be less of a news event if the schedules were handled like they were for doctors, nurses, police etc

I dont get it either.

Many people have to work on Thanksgiving. What makes retail workers special?

Lets see

Police Officers
Fire Fighters
Utility Workers(Power plant workers, waste water treatment plant workers etc)
The hospitality industry(hotel workers)
Restaurant workers(many resturants have been open on Thanksgiving long before stores started opening for part of the day)
Nurses(for 30 years my mom has been required to work either Thanksgiving Day or Xmas day, and not just a few hours, but a full 12 hour shift)
Drs

With the exception of restaurant\hospitality workers I think we can all agree that these options are a tad more critical than retail employees so your comparison categories are off. In addition most of those will receive holiday pay and not all the employees at a location are forced to work on Thanksgiving\BF. Often rotating schedules are available to allow for at least one free day to spend with family.

In regards to restaurant workers I think you'll be hard pressed to find a large number of restaurants that make all of their workers work Thanksgiving\BF.

Working on Thanksgiving is not new for retail employees either. Stocking crews FOR ALMOST ALL RETAILERS have pretty much always worked on Thanksgiving.

Most major retailers I am familiar with did their stocking the weeks prior and then stayed late Wednesday for the floor set (Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, Bath and Body works, Jo Ann fabrics, Michaels). Maybe its changed in the 5 years since I worked retail but yes - it IS new. I know two of the Best Buys in the area still aren't doing any stocking\floor setting on Thanksgiving more than an hour before open.

 

[Exterous]

Naturally, these people were angry and shocked (SHOCKED I tell you!) when we had to tell them that were out of stock on these items that we wouldn't be getting any more until Saturday.

It wasn't worth the time and a half holiday pay, that's for sure.

Heh - I remember those days. What do you mean you are out of the door busters??!! What do you mean you can't order more?! I DEMAND to speak to a manager!

At least you got extra pay. A number of places have done away with that

Lets not forget movie theater workers who make less than the avg retailer worker. Many of them have to work Thanksgiving Day and Xmas Day. Movie theaters, for whatever reason, are open 365 and have been for as long as I can remember(late 80s).

Again - the issue isn't the day itself but Thanksgiving+ BF+ Sat+ Sun. If it was just one day I doubt there would be the outcry. I highly doubt the average movie theater employee is going to put in anywhere near the amount of time the average retail employee will over those 4 days

 

[boomhower]

It's part of the gig. We work a set schedule, I could tell you what day I'm working three years from now. If the holiday falls on your day you work. I rather enjoy working them as we get 18hrs of holiday pay for working them. So in all 30 hours of pay for 12 hours of work, not a bad deal at all. I'll eat leftovers for that kind of money.

 

[nanette1985]

I grew up on a farm, where nobody ever takes a day off - animals still need to be fed and cared for. Taking Thanksgiving off is an alien concept.

I've never worked retail, but lots of my friends & kids have. Is working Thanksgiving really the worst thing about working retail? Aren't there a few other things that it makes sense to complain about?

 

[monkeydelmagico]

If sales during "sacred" times continue to create profit then we will soon see 24/7 retail operations for all major chains. Christmas is next.

 

[slayer202]

capitalism

/thread

 

[Inspector Jihad]

well hopefully no one will go shopping on thanksgiving and these corporations will realize it was a waste of money to stay open.

 

[child of wonder]

I speak with my pocket book and don't go to brick and mortar stores at all unless completely necessary and unavoidable. It's 2013, not 1983, so I can have virtually anything I want ordered online and delivered to my house.

 

[KaOTiK]

I think it is freaking horrible. Can't people hold off one more damn day before they have to blow their load at the store buying some discounted shit.

When I worked retail years ago, you didn't get any option to work it or not, at best I was giving the option of you either work Thanksgiving or Christmas and get the other off. Most the places didn't get any extra OT/bonus, only one place gave a whole $1 more an hour for working on turkey day, whoopee fucking do, you can shove that extra $8 up your ass as far as I am concerned.

You say you can eat and spend time with your family anytime. While technically correct, any other time isn't the holiday either. The holidays also make it much easier for family to schedule things together, from travel to just a simple get together due to so many varying schedules.

The only people that should work on Thanksgiving (and I wish they didn't have too, but unfortunately their services are too important not too) are medical/law enforcement/whatever other critical stuff that would really screw stuff up if someone wasn't there.

 

[TallBill]

Fuck if I know. I've either been in the military or the service industry over the past 10 years, I enjoy the rare holidays that I get off but its not a big deal either way.

 

[Poulsonator]

I get paid double-time-and-a-half for holidays, so you're damn right I'm working both Thursday and Friday (both count as holidays for us). It's damn-near an extra paycheck. I love it.

It's strictly voluntary, but I'm not going to pass up that money.

 

[Midwayman]

I know I won't be shopping this holiday season at retailers that force their workers in on thanksgiving day.

 

[ultimatebob]

well hopefully no one will go shopping on thanksgiving and these corporations will realize it was a waste of money to stay open.

Sadly, it won't happen. I'd imagine that there are enough people out there who don't really celebrate Thanksgiving to form a line around Target Thursday night :-(

I guess that I can't blame them... I've heard that they have a ton of extra doorbusters like extra cheap TV's at Target that aren't on the sales flyer. As if the $229 50" 1080p HDTV wasn't enough to start a few fist fights