Fair enough - most people aren't like you. They stood up and said they weren't happy and improved the quality of their lives and their own happiness levels, in a situation where what they were fighting for was simply convenience. If an online petition helps these people get the same result, more power to them.
As long as the Employer makes the decision, I don't have an overly large problem with it. Perhaps the best decision would have been for these employers to survey their employees beforehand, and give them time to make adjustments, but of course that would have showed their hands to competitors. At the time all those regulations came down, the working environment was far different. To a certain degree they were instituted to protect us from ourselves.
Blake: What's the problem, pal? Dave Moss: You - [correcting him] Dave Moss: Moss. You're such a hero, you're so rich, how come you're coming down here wasting your time with such a bunch of bums? Blake: You see this watch? You see this watch? Dave Moss: Yeah. Blake: That watch costs more than you car. I made $970,000 last year. How much you make? You see pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a sh**. Good father? F you! Go home and play with your kids. You wanna work here - close! You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you c****er? You can't take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit? You don't like it, leave.
Yeah, and if you ran a business like a raging assh*le, you'd be broke in no time. How about, "if you don't like it, ask for things to be changed, and if they don't, THEN leave."
I was thinking about this Sunday when I had to work (a rare Sunday, but the Texans were off). Back when we had Blue Laws and women couldn't buy panty hose on Sunday and most stores were closed it seemed so stupid and inconvenient; but looking back on it now, it seems like there really does need to be a day when everyone could generally decompress. How quaint... it ain't never coming back.
Absolutely - I don't think government dictating policy is the solution here. I just think it's natural - and good - that people don't just accept their lot in life and instead actually try to improve their quality of life. I just couldn't believe the negative reaction to people doing that and how many people were saying "just accept it or quit", especially when all they did was sign an online petition.
We still have blue laws in my county, it's annoying because it's hard to buy things, but it's nice that there's less traffic (a lot of New Yorkers come down to take advantage of the sales tax) Plus it encourages people to spend in the "impoverished zone"
lol This is just how y'all get down in the d&d isn't it? I'm referring to businesses like Target that only recently began being open on holidays and could be influenced otherwise by lack of consumer demand. Many who now have to work holidays were not expecting to when they took these jobs just a couple years ago. In fact, if like me, part of the reason that they took the job was they were originally told they'd have the holiday off. Obviously, in other jobs, you know right from jump that you're working on these holidays, so you're cool with it. I don't do any of that stuff you listed on Christmas though. Why? Because usually my ass is at work. Just because I'm willing to work then doesn't mean I don't sympathize with those who would rather be home. I'm not one of those "I do it, so everyone else should and not complain" hardliners. I just think not forcing folks to do non-essential jobs on Thanksgiving/Christmas would be a decent thing to do. That's all.
You work on Christmas? Now that is rare. I know when my brother worked at Blockbuster, he used to work every Christmas, but he got 3 times pay. Before that, I had no idea they were even open.
When I was saving money for school, I worked Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve at Circle K many years back. Other people were scheduled for some of the time I worked but didn't show up. I worked my usual graveyard shift on each of those nights, as well as hours before/after my shifts so my manager could stay at home. I could only do that because my second (part-time) job was closed for the holidays. I shouldn't have done it, but I needed the minimum wage dollars (Circle K doesn't give overtime pay for holidays). One of the big-time regional managers came in on New Year's Day just as my manager was showing up to relieve me. Mr. Big-Time commended me on being a 'good worker.' I asked if that warranted a pay raise. Mr. Big-Time laughed at my funny joke and reminded me that Circle K has structured pay raises that increase your pay by a quarter two times a year. Everyone gets those raises. Even the people who called in 'sick' for their shifts and who I had to cover. They get those raises too. I took the graveyard shift because no one else would work those hours (it was always a drama when I had a night off and my manager had to find someone to fill the shift), I worked those holidays because no one else wanted to (including my manager), I worked hard every night - my work was ALWAYS done and it was ALWAYS done well. I didn't steal (many of the employees did), and I never showed up late. I never turned down a shift when one opened. I even worked hours after the regional office told my manager that I was working too many overtime hours because my manager said I could just use them in the future if I needed to miss an hour here or there (thought I never missed an hour). ...and the regional manager laughed at me when I asked him for a raise. He thought it was funny that I asked for a raise. When I quit the job, they got a lady to replace me. She got shot her first night working. THAT is the world retail workers live in. Whether you like what you're doing or not, whether you work hard or not, no matter what you do ... it doesn't mean a ******* thing. The power is slanted so far in the direction of "owners" that it's not even fair to call it a 'slant' - it's completely vertical. So, more power to any of these people who try to take some of the power for themselves. The "owners," the profit-whores who would gladly **** in the mouths of their employees if they thought it'd generate a profit, will never understand anything else. I give kudos to companies that treat their employees well even when good treatment is not required, but they are the exception and not the rule. **** the rest of them.
I'd think the Nordstroms and Neimans of the world could definitely get behind this, alot of the doorbuster type shoppers might not necessarily be their cup of tea.
wow, how is working on a holiday comparable to unsafe conditions？ unsafe conditions is against the law/human rights...working on the holiday is the same? people should understand that working in retail entitles to work during the peak shopping times, which is holidays. why complain when you knew that. its like restaurant staff complain about working during meal times. how is that the same with unsafe factory work. either you are stupid, or too immature and self centered to understand this. so should company owners/bosses complain and protest when employees ask for time off? you think these retail employees think about the company needs when they ask for time off or call in sick after a night of drinking? i think people forget that is employees BEGGING to be offered a job, not the other way around (obviously there are exceptions, particularly in top tier positions). personally all my employees (all 200+) have no problem working on holidays, cause they know i approve of time off when THEY need it. one of my managers asked for 2 weeks off to attend his brother's wedding and i approved. in return, he have no problem working during new years. that is life, accept your responsibilities.
i understand where you are coming from, and i have been there and done that (not gonna go into detail here). but why shouldn't the power be in the hands of the owners? seriously, if you are not happy with it, don't take the job. Your job is paying you for your time. full stop. if you have the ability to find a higher paying job, go for it. the owners take on the risk of investment, they make the strategic/management decisions that pays you. why should they not have the power. bosses/owners don't just sit beach side counting money, they work every bit more than you, difference is brain work and manual labor. i always encourage my employees to go look on the job market to find a higher paying job. why not. if they can find one, i gladly write a positive recommendation for them. i know that when they can't find a better job on the market, they will cherish this one at hand. I feel a lot of young people these days (not saying you, just stating a fact) feel that they DESERVE more. life does not work that way. you get more when you have the ability. i don't understand why people complain working longer, you work longer because you don't have the ability/efficiency to work shorter. work is not about how long you work, its about how efficient you work. if someone is too stupid to work efficiently, then they can only make it up with time. don't complain. but i do feel sorry in your case as you have to cover for some lazy motherf**ker.
Word of advice: try reading the whole thread. Or at least the posts that asked this same question and which I responded to. It's not difficult - they are all right there, easy to find. By the way, in those days, those unsafe working conditions weren't against the law - they were standard accepted practice. Which is the whole point, though that seems to have gone way over your head. Except, of course, that these stores have never in their history opened at these hours, so no, these people did not know that. Except it's not. Sure - if an employee keeps calling in sick after late night partying, I would probably let them go for cause. Ah yes, back to the "be happy you have a job. just take it. Don't try to improve your life" attitude. What a pathetic mentality you expect people to live by.
Pathetic mentality? We look at the most logical end-game scenario. We've assumed that the employee has asked for the time off, and we also assume that he's been denied (which is a safe assumption since stores have announced that they're opening early). At that point, the employee must decide whether to work the hours or quit. What's pathetic is getting caught up in the details and missing the big picture.
No complaints by movie theater workers? Theaters are NEVER closed. Christmas, Thanksgiving you name it you can go see a flick.
This thread didn't start because people didn't want to work on Black Friday, it's because stores are planning on opening at midnight, some even at 8PM on Thanksgiving.
This thread is hilarious. I respect the whole self empowerment mantra, but spare a little dignity for others you Randian-wannabe psychopaths. I'm assuming you have to show up to prep the store before it opens up at 8. I don't. It ends the arms race stores have on each other, thereby giving everyone a break from the madness.
i apologize, you are right, i should of gone through the whole thread before replying. me and you see things slightly differently, the way i see it is that changing you life for the better is not changing your surrounding, but should change yourself. I teach my employees this and i start from myself as well. How is changing your working hours improving your life? IMHO, to improve one's life, they should be constantly improving their knowledge/skills. that is the key. not protesting about working hours. if they are not happy, i am sure that their employers are happy for them to go find another job. for me, the quality of life is dependent of whether is person 'deserves' it or not. I don't feel that everyone deserves the same quality of life (obviously there is a base line that everyone deserves). I personally work around 15-17 hours a day starting at about 5 am. but i make sure that my holidays are free. this is achieved because i normally work much harder than everyone else. I worked retail before, being called in when I am not rostered...etc...yes I was unhappy, like you said, i strived to improve my life by studying, learning new skills and doing EVERYTHING regarding work better than anyone else. that is why i am at the stage i am at today. I am not saying don't try to improve life, like i mentioned in another post, i encourage my employees to constantly look on the job market to find a better job. I am not encouraging the 'be happy with what you got mentality', but protesting is NOT the way to improve things. This is not a occupy wall street/human rights thing that people can't change by themselves. but each and everyone of these retail workers should know that if they put in the hard work to increase their own skill level, they won't have to be stuck at a retail outlet and working on holidays. anyway just different perspectives to life i guess.
