Target workers fight back against having to go in Thanksgiving night

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

http://consumerist.com/2011/11/targe...ing-night.html

I stand with them on this. I don't mind the insanely early Black Friday openings, but at least give the employees a chance to enjoy most of thanksgiving.

The whole month after is hell anyway.

This crap has to stop.

[fireheart]

Yikes, reading through the comments....some of them need to be beaten with a .

This is the best comment I've seen so far anyway:

Just because someone makes the decision to go into any position doesn't justify treating them badly.

"Oh, she chose to be a stripper, she totally deserves to be raped".

We're dealing with a slightly less painful version of that, with one of the major shopping precincts being granted persmission to open during public holidays to bring life back into the city. Although what's slightly different is that employees here DO get double-time-and-a-half for public holiday work.

[XCashier]

This crap has to stop.

I agree with you, but it didn't stop when Jdimytai Damour got trampled to death. It's not going to stop for this, not as long as the Fat Cats can make a few more dollars.

I hate Black Friday (and yes, I'm going to be working a long shift that day!), hate the greed and overconsumption and all that nonsense. Sadly, those who would celebrate Buy Nothing Day are still in the minority. And as long as the majority demands stuff to buy and the suits make the big bucks selling crap to people, we have to deal with nonsense like Black Friday, Doorbusters, etc.

[mikoyan29]

Many members of my family like to do the Black Friday thing. Me, I value my 4 day weekend too much to get up at whatever ungodly hour one has to get up to even have a chance at those deals. On Thanksgiving, they are grabbing the sales ads and planning it out like they were landing on a beach in Normandy or something. I guess I just don't get it as the deals tend to get better later.

But anyways, I remember a time when stores were barely open on Sundays.

[firecat88]

I have never done Black Friday shopping. Nor do I plan to do so ever. I like my sleep and I hate crowds.

[Marmalady]

*nods*

My store is only closed on three days a year - Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. UK law says we have to be closed on the first two, Boxing Day is optional but the store has decided that we'll all get that day off too.

And every year, without fail, when we open again on the 27th there'll be people saying "I drove all the way out here yesterday and you were closed! I was sure you'd be open on Boxing Day!"
And I always want to reply, "Were you at work yesterday? No? Then why did you think that we should be?"

Given that most people are shopping insanely for at least 3 months solid before Christmas, why the blue blazes do they want to go out immediately afterwards and buy more stuff?

Give me the good old days when everything shut for several days and the sales started in the New Year.

[Lyse]

I am staying home again this year (haven't been to a Black Friday event in about ten years or more), and most of my friends and family have been making the same choice the past few years. There is nothing so insanely important/cheap that is worth it. The only person I may see is the cashier at my local Plaid, and that's only if we desperately need something.

Wish the best for everyone that is given no choice on this. Stay safe and sane!

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Did these employees actually sign their names to this thing? If so I expect them to be fired pretty soon.

[morgana]

I did my own "buy nothing day" pledge sometime in, hmmm, the late eighties I think. I don't even leave the house on the day after Thanksgiving. Not worth it.

[Kanalah]

Generally I don't leave the house Black Friday. I'm small and trample easily, and there has to be a really good sale on fabric to get me out of the house.

Also from Thanksgiving-Christmas, I really don't even go grocery shopping. Most of the grocery places are super wallys or target, so I can't even escape the holiday madness there.

I do hang out at the fedex place, since I have to ship a bunch of quilts.

[Raveni]

Thanks for the article. I think that coming in at 11:00pm to do a midnight opening will allow the workers to enjoy most of their Thanksgiving. I'm glad that they are getting paid 2.5 pay for their time as well. Really, none of this will stop until people stop until customers stop participating in mad rushes for doorbusters.

[Food Lady]

1.5 times from 11:00 until midnight. At midnight it's considered Friday, which is not the holiday. At least this is the case at my store. I don't even get the holiday pay.

[smileyeagle1021]

Good for them, bout time someone stood up to the Black Friday Madness (I personally will do my holiday shopping from the comfort of my home using the goodshop.com shopping network... of course, I have to do my mandatory plug for goodshop, sign up and a percentage of all your purchases made through their shopping network with over 1000 online merchants will be donated to the participating charity of your choice and they have some wicked discounts, everyone wins, seriously sign up).

[Food Lady]

I abhor the comments like "don't work retail." For some people, there aren't many options, due to the job market or physical limitations. For example, I can't do any job with a lot of typing due to carpal tunnel. And my messed-up back doesn't allow me to do a lot of manufacturing jobs. Sometimes people are in a spot where they have to work retail.

[taxguykarl]

I have never done Black Friday shopping. Nor do I plan to do so ever. I like my sleep and I hate crowds.

My wife is on the same page: She is not a morning person and mildly agoraphobic. Besides, we have all our shopping done. It's now a matter of baking the pet treats (recipes available on request), wrapping and shipping.

An outlet mall in our neck of the woods opened at midnight Black Friday. Out of morbid curiosity, I drove out there and the cars were backed up at least three miles on the interstate.