The trend for stores to open earlier and earlier to take advantage of Black Friday sales—even to the point of opening in the evening on Thanksgiving Day—has prompted an online petition drive to give Thanksgiving back to employees and their families.
The original petition was reportedly created by a Target employee upset that the retail giant is opening on Thanksgiving and requiring employees to work instead of spending time with their families.
Target stores, including the one in Davis, will open their doors at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
Wal-Mart in Dixon will start Black Friday at 8 p.m., "with later waves of sales on different items into the next day." Sales started at 10 p.m. last year.
As of Tuesday morning, there are more than 179,000 signatures on the petition, started by "C Renee" from Corona.
A press release from Change.org reported that they have seen dozens of new petitions pop up about Black Friday hours.
"Following a Sears announcement last week that the company would open store doors at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening, Change.org users launched more than 40 new petitions calling on retailers to allow families to spend Thanksgiving together and stick to Black Friday opening times," the press release stated.
Jim Wissick from San Jose wrote, "WTF is wrong with you Target? Change the opening to Friday or you will see NO business from me this holiday season."
The New York Daily News reported that "copycat" petitions have also been created asking Macy’s, Best Buy, Old Navy and Kohl's to reconsider their plans to open at midnight on Thanksgiving.
Here are just some of the more than 40 trending “Save Thanksgiving” petitions on Change.org:
- https://www.change.org/petitions/target-take-the-high-road-and-save-thanksgiving
- https://www.change.org/petitions/target-don-t-take-away-thanksgiving
- https://www.change.org/petitions/sears-holdings-stop-sears-stores-from-opening-thanksgiving-day
What do you think? Are Black Friday specials getting out of hand and starting to replace the Thanksgiving holiday itself?
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You must have missed the question mark. From reading the article and your post I thought that was what you and the author had in mind. I believe if you don't like it don't shop there, if you don't want to work retail sales then quit.
Isn't petitioning the first step in the political process?
The bikes were of good quality Huffies. All the employees I saw and spoke to were in the Christmas Spirit seemed to be having a good time. This mourning I went back to pickup a couple of bikes I couldn't fit on the truck last night. They seemed to be a bit tired but were still upbeat and extremely helpful
Like Coppes said, if the employee doesn't want to work holidays, they should find a job elsewhere. If they have no significant skills or education, perhaps they can just be an example to the next generation. If you want the ability to be home on holidays, be sure to have skills and education that will allow you to be selective with your career! The choices you make when you are young affect your opportunities in the future. I worked hard (holidays included), ate tuna out of the can, and often slept in the mud (served in the military) so that I would have a good enough education that now I can enjoy life with my family on holidays. I knew early in life what it took to succeed. Let these Walmart employees be an example to the next generation. Success (just like failure) doesn't find you... you have to go after it.