Do you plan on going out on Thanksgiving for shopping?

[secretpantssam]

Nope.

I'm cooking and will be exhausted after the day is done.

 

[luvsJack]

They have now had a year to look for another job if that is a deal breaker for them. I also don't think they were notified a week before Thanksgiving last year and had plenty of time to make alternate arrangements. I'd guess most of the retail workers this holiday are seasonal or have been hired since the open Thanksgiving practice started. Michaels and Kmart, grocery, fast food stores and even many of the anchor stores at our mall are all places that have been open on Thanksgiving for years so it isn't really all that new, it is just expanding. If you don't like it apply at Costco or other retailers who do not. Saying that these people do not know going in to it is weak IMO especially with a whole year to find alternate employment, yes I know this isn't an option for everyone but my guess is if this is your only option you are thankful to have a job to work at.

I am sure there are many who would rather be at home with their families and are disappointed like that sweet lady you spoke too, but this isn't exclusive to BF retail policies and I just think 99.9% of people have played a role in this by running to get an extra can of gravy at the grocery store, grabbing ibuprofen at the pharmacy or topping off their gas tank and grabbing a fountain coke. We have proved that a market for stores to be open exists. Again, why are these peoples families any less important? In a perfect world it would all be shut. I wouldn't protest or be upset if it did, but like there is a market for movies, theme parks and media events(and not every person who works a football game is making big bucks and most of the vendors selling beer don't go into it expecting to work because the chances your stadium is open is slim) there is a market to shop and if you are in that field you are now aware of it and accept it. You make new plans for family time like those who have spouses who work weekends or other holidays. It is just the reality of life today and certain lines of work.

Again, my point is IMO you are a hypocrite if you make one purchase on a holiday or have no issue with people who have to work outside of retail that are not necessary(police, fire or medical)

Yep because there have been oh, so many jobs open in their field in the past year.

I don't think its hypocritical at all. There is a difference in those that knew when they took the job and those that it was sprung on last year (whenever it was sprung on them).

Around here some people have been with those companies for years and years. They don't want to give up their seniority or other benefits they have gotten for those years. To say "well they should quit" isn't realistic.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Would it be fun if you or your husband were the ones working? Sorry, I just feel it should remain a holiday for as many people as possible.

I have two daughters that work both Thanksgiving & Christmas Day. One is an RN and the other a Park Ranger. It is very difficult for us to find time to celebrate the holidays.

I worked retail 9 years and worked all 9 Thanksgiving days. I then worked management in another position and worked 9 more consecutive Thanksgiving days. The 9 in retail were all volunteered as we were broke and needed the double time and a half pay. It was no big deal to do Thanksgiving another day. Before judging others, maybe many of those working actually want to work for the extra money, that may be the difference between their children receiving gifts or not like it was for us.

 

[disney1990]

Sure - if they didn't it would be hypocritical. (I thought Disneyland originally did NOT run 7days a week 365 days a year?). Tons of people aren't Christian so the holiday season doesn't matter at all, and lots of people don't celebrate Thanksgiving. Its held in October if you're Canadian. I celebrate both and have worked both (Starbucks & Apple) and I still don't see what the big deal is - I try to love my family and be thankful no matter the day. Very few can honestly say they have used NO services on any holiday, and I am sorry but gas, grocery stores etc count. There will always be those who MUST be on the clock, nurses, police, etc, so I don't hold retailers to some other plane of existence. I wish those who want to stay home could, but I'm not in charge.

I love the holidays at Disney, but I would have no problem if they closed the parks on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.

Personally, we celebrate both Thanksgiving & Christmas other days. One daughter is a nurse and one is a Park Ranger - they both work the holidays.

 

[TravelMommy]

I tried BF many years ago, never again. I never saw so many people in one place at our local Toys R Us and I am a seasoned WDW traveler, lol!

 

[nugov2]

Yep because there have been oh, so many jobs open in their field in the past year.

I don't think its hypocritical at all. There is a difference in those that knew when they took the job and those that it was sprung on last year (whenever it was sprung on them).

Around here some people have been with those companies for years and years. They don't want to give up their seniority or other benefits they have gotten for those years. To say "well they should quit" isn't realistic.

Retail has one of the highest turnover rates. I think I read it was like 67% turnover rate and that 70% of retail employees are part time so very few are getting benefits. I'd imagine the ones with seniority are the ones who come in late on Thanksgiving either working after midnight or the next day so in that aspect it doesn't affect them at all. Very few retail employees are lifers unless in management and the ones that are bounce around a lot. I worked all through college b/c my mom managed the same store for 10 years. Only one person still worked there when she left and most people were gone in 6-12 months.

I didn't say quitting was an option for everyone, but what if you worked for a shipping company 40 hours a week m-f and then the business grew so much they added Saturdays as mandatory for 5 hours and dropping your weekly hours by an hour each day. Now you have to work 10-3 and can no longer make your kids activities...this happens a lot. Many jobs have changes after you take it and you have to decide to roll with it or look elsewhere. When I was teaching the school went from 7:30 - 2:30 to 8:30-3:30. Now people were upset because they had to put their kids in daycare b/c they weren't out in time to get their kids in other neighboring districts who got out at 3:30. Some specifically worked in our district for this reason. We weren't given a warning other than it came up at a board meeting and was voted on and changed. It was like 3 months tops we had. It is part of life. Things change in your work place and you decide if it is a deal breaker or not. You decide if you have the luxury to move jobs or not.



I honestly think there are people who are happy to have a job and the money. A lot of the companies offer extra perks to those who work those days(coupons, extra pay etc). I read a blog post last year of a wife of a BB manager who said she is grateful for every person who is out shopping on Thanksgiving, BF and even Christmas Eve because their support means her husband has a job and their family is taken care of. It was posted on FB. I'm sure there are plenty who hate it, but like others have said family time on thanksgiving doesn't have set hours. It can be 11-4 just as easy as it could be 4-9. I would think most families would be happy to accommodate their loved one who has to work.

 

[Pooh2]

Used to work on Black Fridays (in the days before Thanksgiving was the start of shopping). Would not shop on either day now. Might buy a few things online but standing in long lines and dealing with crowds and traffic are not my idea of a fun way to start the Christmas season.

 

[nugov2]

I worked retail 9 years and worked all 9 Thanksgiving days. I then worked management in another position and worked 9 more consecutive Thanksgiving days. The 9 in retail were all volunteered as we were broke and needed the double time and a half pay. It was no big deal to do Thanksgiving another day. Before judging others, maybe many of those working actually want to work for the extra money, that may be the difference between their children receiving gifts or not like it was for us.[/QUOTE]

Thank you! This was my point exactly!! You posted while I was busy typing my response.

 

[tvguy]

Does anyone else see the irony of complaining on a Disney themed board about people working on a holiday? Disney has been making people work on holidays since the park opened in 1955. Does anyone really think they should close the park on Thanksgiving and Christmas?

I was young, but Disneyland used to be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in the off season, and I swear that it was closed on some holidays in the early years.

 

[Chelley00]

I won't be shopping, because the retail place I'm working part time to help get over a medical bill hump recently announced they've decided to be open from 8am on Thursday straight to 2am on Friday, then close and reopen again at 5am.

 

[Minnesota!]

Nope I shop on Wed. Most of our shopping is done just waiting for a few things to be released to buy. We have a cabin rented in Pigeon Forge and plan to curl up in front of the fire all day Thursday and Friday read, watch TV and dip hot chocolate and eat a few s'mores. I will hit the outlets for just a few things I need on Wed. I find the deals a good enough for me.

that sounds heavenly!!

Certain services have to be available 24/7. Fire, police and rescue, military, hospitals etc. Those are necessities.

No one needs a flatscreen TV, or the latest toy. Furthermore, while I have had to work holidays, I am extremely well compensated for doing so. The people manning the stores won't be, for the most part.

Comparing necessary services to holiday shopping is silly.

I wish the parks would be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, but I know that will never happen.

 

[smitch425]

My mom, grandma, sister and my DD will all be shopping on Thanksgiving evening. This is the first year my sister and DD will be joining us, and I can't wait. We typically shop all night long, but I am having hip surgery after the holidays, so I'm not sure how long I will last. I am hoping we won't be out too late on Thursday, and then we can get a few hours of sleep and go back out Friday morning. I live away from all of my family, so I rarely get the opportunity to shop with them. This year it will be 4 generations, and we are all looking forward to it!

 

[luvsJack]

Retail has one of the highest turnover rates. I think I read it was like 67% turnover rate and that 70% of retail employees are part time so very few are getting benefits. I'd imagine the ones with seniority are the ones who come in late on Thanksgiving either working after midnight or the next day so in that aspect it doesn't affect them at all. Very few retail employees are lifers unless in management and the ones that are bounce around a lot. I worked all through college b/c my mom managed the same store for 10 years. Only one person still worked there when she left and most people were gone in 6-12 months.

I didn't say quitting was an option for everyone, but what if you worked for a shipping company 40 hours a week m-f and then the business grew so much they added Saturdays as mandatory for 5 hours and dropping your weekly hours by an hour each day. Now you have to work 10-3 and can no longer make your kids activities...this happens a lot. Many jobs have changes after you take it and you have to decide to roll with it or look elsewhere. When I was teaching the school went from 7:30 - 2:30 to 8:30-3:30. Now people were upset because they had to put their kids in daycare b/c they weren't out in time to get their kids in other neighboring districts who got out at 3:30. Some specifically worked in our district for this reason. We weren't given a warning other than it came up at a board meeting and was voted on and changed. It was like 3 months tops we had. It is part of life. Things change in your work place and you decide if it is a deal breaker or not. You decide if you have the luxury to move jobs or not.



I honestly think there are people who are happy to have a job and the money. A lot of the companies offer extra perks to those who work those days(coupons, extra pay etc). I read a blog post last year of a wife of a BB manager who said she is grateful for every person who is out shopping on Thanksgiving, BF and even Christmas Eve because their support means her husband has a job and their family is taken care of. It was posted on FB. I'm sure there are plenty who hate it, but like others have said family time on thanksgiving doesn't have set hours. It can be 11-4 just as easy as it could be 4-9. I would think most families would be happy to accommodate their loved one who has to work.

I am sure retail does have a high turnover rate, but the fact remains that our mall stores all have people that have worked for the company for many years (some since before the stores even moved into the mall or there even was a mall)

So the lady's husband wouldn't have a job if they weren't open Thanksgiving? So what did they do for the years and years before the store started opening that day?

In my dh's family there are two nurses, 3 men that work offshore, and 2 truck drivers. We know all about making the holiday a different day.

My older son works offshore 21/21 and my younger son is a manager for a set of convience stores . Thanksgiving for us can be anywhere from Halloween to Christmas, depending on when older ds is home and younger ds has a Saturday or Sunday off and its his weekend to have his children. Accommodate is what we do during the holidays.

I don't hate it or love it. If they are given the CHOICE to work that day, so be it. But it shouldn't be mandatory. The fact is that many like to shop for deals on that day and they like to justify it by giving all these reasons why the stores should be open. You want to shop that day, go for it. That doesn't mean I don't still believe that there are a few days in a year that the stores should be closed and Thanksgiving is one of those days.

 

[IamJBo]

Something about spending Thanksgiving in the store just bothers me.

I've always been into Black Friday since I can remember but here recently with store opening on Thanksgiving day it's turned me off from shopping. Heck we would sometimes gather some of the family members who wanted to go shopping at midnight and turn it into an event.

Don't get me wrong I'll snag something online on Thanksgiving but I'd rather be in the house with company vs at the store with strangers.

 

[nugov2]

I am sure retail does have a high turnover rate, but the fact remains that our mall stores all have people that have worked for the company for many years (some since before the stores even moved into the mall or there even was a mall)

So the lady's husband wouldn't have a job if they weren't open Thanksgiving? So what did they do for the years and years before the store started opening that day?

In my dh's family there are two nurses, 3 men that work offshore, and 2 truck drivers. We know all about making the holiday a different day.

My older son works offshore 21/21 and my younger son is a manager for a set of convience stores . Thanksgiving for us can be anywhere from Halloween to Christmas, depending on when older ds is home and younger ds has a Saturday or Sunday off and its his weekend to have his children. Accommodate is what we do during the holidays.

I don't hate it or love it. If they are given the CHOICE to work that day, so be it. But it shouldn't be mandatory. The fact is that many like to shop for deals on that day and they like to justify it by giving all these reasons why the stores should be open. You want to shop that day, go for it. That doesn't mean I don't still believe that there are a few days in a year that the stores should be closed and Thanksgiving is one of those days.

But you missed my point....how many jobs give their employees a choice when they make changes? Usually it is roll with it or leave.

I feel the same way as you actually. I don't love it or hate it. I don't care if they open or close. I shop in the evening b/c my kids are young and our holiday is celebrated early. It is a fun tradition for my girlfriend and I to meet up, shop and have breakfast(though now we eat breakfast at midnight or 1 with the early opening vs going out at 4 am). I would never take away from family time to shop no matter how good a deal was. I do think that is crazy.

My biggest issue with all this complaining is what I have stated many times

1. There are tons of other unnecessary places open and not one person complains about them working. Most of us(even the complainers) have contributed to this situation even if it was the simple can of gravy being purchased at a grocery store or the pop purchased at the gas station. I'm sure Susie working the register would rather be eating turkey with her family, but is working the register b/c the grocery chain knows people will come out to buy what they forgot.

2. All companies change policies as they grow. All employees have the choice to stick with it or move on. If they do not have that luxury(like so many this day and age) you sadly have to do what you have to do to make ends meet. Retailers are no different than companies that add days to the week that employees must work or change hours for whatever reason it is Employees of retail companies are no different than many other employees at companies across the nation making changes that impact their employees lives. Why all the fuss for this one small group of employees and not the others who face these same issues all the time? Why should any employee have to work under conditions that are different from when they first got hired?

 

[usd2bmd]

No. My daughter has to work at 6 so we will be eating dinner early enough for her to nap before going to work. (she will have to work 12 hours) So my husband and I will go for a walk after dinner as long as the weather isn't freezing. Then I will go to bed early so we can be up when she gets home because she asked for us to have breakfast together when she gets home before she goes to bed.

 

[dsny1mom]

Retail has one of the highest turnover rates. I think I read it was like 67% turnover rate and that 70% of retail employees are part time so very few are getting benefits. I'd imagine the ones with seniority are the ones who come in late on Thanksgiving either working after midnight or the next day so in that aspect it doesn't affect them at all. Very few retail employees are lifers unless in management and the ones that are bounce around a lot. I worked all through college b/c my mom managed the same store for 10 years. Only one person still worked there when she left and most people were gone in 6-12 months.

I didn't say quitting was an option for everyone, but what if you worked for a shipping company 40 hours a week m-f and then the business grew so much they added Saturdays as mandatory for 5 hours and dropping your weekly hours by an hour each day. Now you have to work 10-3 and can no longer make your kids activities...this happens a lot. Many jobs have changes after you take it and you have to decide to roll with it or look elsewhere. When I was teaching the school went from 7:30 - 2:30 to 8:30-3:30. Now people were upset because they had to put their kids in daycare b/c they weren't out in time to get their kids in other neighboring districts who got out at 3:30. Some specifically worked in our district for this reason. We weren't given a warning other than it came up at a board meeting and was voted on and changed. It was like 3 months tops we had. It is part of life. Things change in your work place and you decide if it is a deal breaker or not. You decide if you have the luxury to move jobs or not.



I honestly think there are people who are happy to have a job and the money. A lot of the companies offer extra perks to those who work those days(coupons, extra pay etc). I read a blog post last year of a wife of a BB manager who said she is grateful for every person who is out shopping on Thanksgiving, BF and even Christmas Eve because their support means her husband has a job and their family is taken care of. It was posted on FB. I'm sure there are plenty who hate it, but like others have said family time on thanksgiving doesn't have set hours. It can be 11-4 just as easy as it could be 4-9. I would think most families would be happy to accommodate their loved one who has to work.

Retail sales associates and management don't get to pick their shifts based on seniority, at least not in any of the specialty retailers I know the workings of. The better you are in sales, the more experienced you are within your position and if you are in store senior management you will work the busiest times. The busiest time for Black Thursday/Friday has been at opening. The best of the best will be scheduled at opening. The reality in retail is seniority means very little when it comes to getting to pick your shifts and actually has the opposite effect.

I find it rather sad that there is any sort of debate over this. I would think most people would have compassion and understanding that people would rather not work on a holiday, when not in an essential role. And for what? So people can buy crap they probably don't even need on a day they should spend time being thankful for what they already have? The only thing sadder is the blog post by the wife of the BB manager. She's thankful for all those shoppers that will boost her husband's sale bonus as opposed to being upset he can't be home with his family. She sounds like a real catch. lol

dsny1mom

 

[MomToOne]

Frankly, I think we've had enough threads where people have debated whether or not stores should be open on Thanksgiving. We've heard all the arguments on both sides, and at this point no one is going to change anyone else's minds. Repeating it over and over and over and over is just getting old and boring.

Any chance we can get back to just discussing who is going shopping, and who's not?

 

[nugov2]

Retail sales associates and management don't get to pick their shifts based on seniority, at least not in any of the specialty retailers I know the workings of. The better you are in sales, the more experienced you are within your position and if you are in store senior management you will work the busiest times. The busiest time for Black Thursday/Friday has been at opening. The best of the best will be scheduled at opening. The reality in retail is seniority means very little when it comes to getting to pick your shifts and actually has the opposite effect.

I find it rather sad that there is any sort of debate over this. I would think most people would have compassion and understanding that people would rather not work on a holiday, when not in an essential role. And for what? So people can buy crap they probably don't even need on a day they should spend time being thankful for what they already have? The only thing sadder is the blog post by the wife of the BB manager. She's thankful for all those shoppers that will boost her husband's sale bonus as opposed to being upset he can't be home with his family. She sounds like a real catch. lol

dsny1mom

I find it sad some stand on their soapbox condemning others when they are just as guilty. If you even turn on your tv/radio you are contributing to someone working who is not in an essential role. If you don't even do that, then you have every right to preach on

But I will let this thread go back to its regularly scheduled topic now

 

[Nztara]

Nope. I will be watching football and suffering from a turkey hangover. I may buy one or two things online for DH, but DS is pretty much done.