Stores open on Thanksgiving...a rant

[Beemerguy53]

To each his or her own opinion. Nobody has a real problem with emergency service personnel or the military working on a holiday, so why is it such a big deal when some other professions have personnel working on a holiday?

Gunny, I respectfully suggest you read this... http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/344980-stores-open-thanksgiving-rant.html#post137546573

Thanks for your service! I worked with many Leathernecks in my fire service career...great guys all. I hope you're enjoying your retirement.

 

[CajunBass]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I've worked jobs that required me to work Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter, and every other holiday you can think of all my life. My family and I managed to survive them, and still spend time together.

 

[Brian41]

I recently retired from a job doing refrigeration for a retail chain of stores and my wife is a nurse in the operating room at a local city hospital.
We've both had to work our share of holidays too but usually would have the next one off. Our family adjusted to the idea we weren't going to be there or show up late and it all worked out just fine over the years.
This Thanksgiving we'll be having family here and it'll be nice as nobody has to work. My wife will likely have to work future holidays and we'll adjust. One year I did the Thanksgiving meal at my in-laws myself and that too worked out in the end.
I too feel for those working holidays but as has been stated they could find other jobs. If not maybe it's in their future and something to look forward to.

I too would rather see the retail stores shut down on holidays but doubt we'll see that happen. I won't be a part of it though as I'll spend the time with family and maybe a nap in my recliner too.

I do have to say though when I worked holidays at 2 1/2 times pay I often spent that overtime money on older S&W revolvers and will miss that part now. My wife's jewelry collection was partly from holiday overtime money as well.

 

[hangnoose]

WORKING HOLIDAYS

Like many others my wife and I both worked EVERY holiday/shift imaginable, it goes with many jobs and he knew it going in. Do I think it's stupid/greedy for non essential businesses to be open, YES. At least he will be getting paid to be there, unlike the thousands that will miss the holiday willingly to camp out in line with other like minded "types". If there weren't the demand, they wouldn't be open. My Bro worked at a major retailer and the black Friday stories were amazing. Some of these crazed shopaholics turn into complete zombie like animals.

 

[bobkatwells]

Well let me join the chorus here. One Holiday at a time!!! Thanksgiving should be a day to spend with families, if possible. Of course some jobs are essential, but retail stores can wait until Friday. It also helps with the morale of retail workers.

The fewer people who shop on thanksgiving day the better. Ultimately staying away from stores that day is the only way to end this.

 

[wbraswell]

A lot of people need to work on holidays to get by. A lot of people work holidays because they have to. At the risk of sounding sexist, (God Forbid!) Black Friday is kind of like the first day of hunting season. Generally, men hunt, women shop. It's funny they way they act like a bunch of bucks during the rut. Just keep out of the way, they probably didn't want to sit around and watch football anyway.

 

[Erich]

I don't shop on Thanksgiving, and I doubt a whole lot of folks do or will. If this turns out to be true, I suspect we won't see all the hooraw about working on T-day in the future, because stores will not find it in their economic interest to pay to be open on the day. I guess we'll see.

I'm not offended that they're trying to make money, though I'm kind of amazed that anyone thinks that keeping a retail outlet open on Thanksgiving is an especially idea. Oh well - guess we'll see. It's not going to kill anyone to work that day, though.

 

[SgtLumpy]

...The fewer people who shop on thanksgiving day the better. Ultimately staying away from stores that day is the only way to end this.

So stay away. Exactly which gun is being held to your head forcing YOU to shop on Thursday? Exactly when is the world coming to an end because some people other than you choose to shop on Thursday? Exactly why is it "better" for fewer people to shop on Thursday? What gives you the right to decide that retail stores need to "end" the practice of making money?


Sgt Lumpy

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I heard that Walmart was getting in extra shipments of .22LR and selling for half price on Thanksgiving before noon. I anticipate a very slow morning on the Forum.

Carry on.

 

[BigBill]

I eat awesome home cooked food on holidays. Nothing, nothing, nothing can draw me away from our Family Traditions. It's the one of the few days I can put the feed bag on and leave my half sandwich intake reduction behind me. It's not a diet it's a change in my eating intake. I will not pig out but I will enjoy a little bit of everything. The sausage cranberry stuffing is all I live for. Besides the family gatherings too.

I find out that strangers will run you over or even eat your young to get a deal on gifts. Let's not forget that Jesus is the reason for the season not the great buys and sales. Money doesn't make us rich. It's the quality of the friends and family that we surround our selves with. You see you been looking for that pie in the sky with the lotto or casino and you been rich all the time with your family and friends. Godbless

 

[mickeyblueyes]

Its of my opinion that part of the problem, we have with the family dynamic as we once knew it is store and retail establishments opening on Sundays. When I was a kid, there were "Blue laws" that prevented stores from doing business on a Sunday. Families spent that day together visiting cousins, going to church, ect all as a family unit.
Along come 24 hour news on the tv and the next thing, everything has to be immediate gratification. from then on with x box violence ,tv disrespect . Its a whole new world. I for 1 do not like it. Sure medicine has improved, as some other things. But how often do families even eat together. Do people know how to cook from scratch(I do.) >end rant<

 

[truckemup97]

I have worked holidays. It wasn't the end of the world. However, I don't think most retail employees expect to work Thanksgiving and Christmas when they fill out that application. Personally, I have already pledged that I will buy nothing between Thanksgiving and Christmas at any store open on Thanksgiving Day, excepting the local grocery, where they are always kind enough to open for a few hours, with minimal employees, for those of us who always seem to forget something.

 

[Beemerguy53]

I have worked holidays. It wasn't the end of the world. However, I don't think most retail employees expect to work Thanksgiving and Christmas when they fill out that application. Personally, I have already pledged that I will buy nothing between Thanksgiving and Christmas at any store open on Thanksgiving Day, excepting the local grocery, where they are always kind enough to open for a few hours, with minimal employees, for those of us who always seem to forget something.

You 'get it'...thanks!

 

[SgtLumpy]

...I don't think most retail employees expect to work Thanksgiving and Christmas when they fill out that application...

You're joking right?
You think that people that fills out an app for Wally's, Sears, JCPenny, any place in the mall, ToysRus etc are the only humans on the planet that don't know those stores will do more business on that single day than the rest of the year combined?

I hope they don't read this thread. It'll burst their bubble.

Let's see...I want a job where I won't have to work on Black Friday. Oh, I know, a big box retail store in the mall. Surely THOSE aren't the kinds of places that ask you to work on Black Friday.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[labworm]

Its of my opinion that part of the problem, we have with the family dynamic as we once knew it is store and retail establishments opening on Sundays. When I was a kid, there were "Blue laws" that prevented stores from doing business on a Sunday. Families spent that day together visiting cousins, going to church, ect all as a family unit.
Along come 24 hour news on the tv and the next thing, everything has to be immediate gratification. from then on with x box violence ,tv disrespect . Its a whole new world. I for 1 do not like it. Sure medicine has improved, as some other things. But how often do families even eat together. Do people know how to cook from scratch(I do.) >end rant<

I remember the Blue Laws, everyone knew it was Sunday.
Agree with your entire post.

 

[arjay]

Theres been a huge shift over the last 20 .Company first,family second.

 

[mkk41]

OTOH , many department store employees aren't very highly paid and/or are only part time. They probably need the cash.

Some people have no family and probably would rather work.

Thanksgiving and Christmas might not exactly be a Norman Rockwell picture perfect painting family scene for everyone.

 

[checkmyswag]

Vote with your $. I do very little for Christmas. Its not about gift giving or even "time with family". To a Christian, you are to celebrate the birth of your Savior. If you are of the world, its a consumerist holiday. We each have to decide. We cant serve two masters.

 

[jaykellogg]

I am sure the reason the brick and mortar retailers are doing this is to compete against online retailers. It is difficult to stand firm against competition like that.

My girlfriend is in catering. She will be working all day Thanksgiving and probably Saturday also. She will probably make $3-400 Thanksgiving. I will have to figure out what to do. BTW, there are plenty of people who will be off Thanksgiving who will think it is a good idea to shop the sales. I hear many retailers are paying extra to get people to work.

I have a friend who is retired Virginia beach LEO. He took a job with Dick's and informed them he wouldn't work for a week after thanksgiving due to the start of rifle season in PA. The hiring manager said "fine". Well they scheduled him to work and when he pointed out that he was hired with the promise he had that week off they told him everyone is working. He said, "this is my notice". I heard he quit two other retailers under identical circumstances.

 

[truckemup97]

You're joking right?
You think that people that fills out an app for Wally's, Sears, JCPenny, any place in the mall, ToysRus etc are the only humans on the planet that don't know those stores will do more business on that single day than the rest of the year combined?

I hope they don't read this thread. It'll burst their bubble.

Let's see...I want a job where I won't have to work on Black Friday. Oh, I know, a big box retail store in the mall. Surely THOSE aren't the kinds of places that ask you to work on Black Friday.


Sgt Lumpy

Have you been in a store in the last few years? While there are some great folks working retail, I would say half or better weren't thinking past next week when they applied for the job. Add to that the folks who are essentially out of work and took a part time retail position just to make ends meet, thinking they wouldn't be there long, and you have a lot of store employees who weren't considering working Thanksgiving when they applied.

I'm guessing with the handle "Sgt Lumpy", you've worked a few Thanksgivings, Christmases, New Year's Eves, Easter Sundays, birthdays, anniversaries, little league games and ballet recitals. I appreciate that there are folks who do. If you made Sgt., you're probably smarter than your average bear, too. You knew what you were signing up for, but you work with guys who didn't. Same with retail.