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http://www.omaha.com/article/20111115/NEWS/711159935Anthony Hardwick won't spend Thanksgiving Day laughing with family and eating turkey and his favorite pecan pie. Instead, he will be in bed, sleeping to prepare for his 10-hour overnight shift that starts at 11 p.m. at an Omaha Target store.
Hardwick probably isn't alone in thinking employees should be able to spend the holiday with family. But he's the only one who has launched a national campaign in hopes of getting the Minneapolis-based retailer to reverse its decision to open at midnight and go back to its original Black Friday opening at 5 a.m.
On Monday alone, more than 50,000 supporters signed his online pe ion.
Target is just one of several retailers opening earlier than ever for "Black Friday," a day considered to be one of the busiest and most compe ive shopping days of the season for retailers.
"We have heard from our guests that they want to shop Target following their Thanksgiving celebrations rather than only having the option of getting up in the middle of the night," said Molly Snyder, a corporate spokeswoman for Target. "By opening at midnight, we are making it easier than ever for our guests to shop ... when they want to shop."
As far as the employees, Snyder said, Target cares about their "well-being" and does its best "to work around the schedules of our team members, making every effort to accommodate their plans." She said Target will offer holiday pay to all hourly team members who work on Thanksgiving Day. Some stores also will have refreshments for employees.
That's not enough for Hardwick. He said offering holiday pay is even more insulting. "That's like saying those cherished memories with your family are only worth time and a half."
Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation said it's not unheard of for retailers and restaurants to open on Thanksgiving, and while some employees will be disappointed, others will love the idea of holiday pay.
"In this economy, I have a hard time believing — with so many people trying to support their families — that people aren't going to want to work for double pay or time and a half," she said. "I think people will be lining up to work."
Hardwick, a 29-year-old Kansas City, Mo., native who has worked for Target for about three years, said he's simply acting as the voice for Target employees who can't speak up, not only at his Target near 72nd Street and Sorensen Parkway but also across the country.
"I felt that it was my duty to speak up for them and voice that employees aren't happy," Hardwick said. "Even salaried management isn't happy. It's cutting into their Thanksgiving, and we want to spend time with our families. That's what's important."
Hardwick thinks a recent cut in his hours stemmed from his starting the campaign a few weeks ago, but Snyder said he would not be disciplined.
Target is far from alone in the sales creep into Thanksgiving.
For the first time, Kohl's and Best Buy will also open at midnight on Thanksgiving, and Walmart will go even further, starting some of its hot deals at 10 p.m.
Toys R Us announced Monday that its Black Friday deals will start at 9 p.m. on Thursday, an hour earlier than last year.\
Locally, both Oak View Mall and Westroads Mall are giving their retailers the option to open at midnight.
The Nebraska Furniture Mart is also planning to open an hour earlier, at 6 a.m., but that's so Husker and Hawkeye football fans have enough time to shop before the 11 a.m. kickoff, said Bob Batt, executive vice president of the Mart.
He said the Mart is never open on major holidays. The reason: "It's called families," Batt said. "We have a lot of people who want family time and we think those times are important."
Hardwick is hoping that Target eventually sees it that way. He said he knew he had to do something after seeing how many of his co-workers were upset over the change.
So he went to Google to see how to start a pe ion. That's where he found Change.org, the site where he set up his campaign.
Part of his message: "A full holiday with family is not just for the elite of this nation — all Americans should be able to break bread with loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving!"
There now are similar campaigns from employees of other retailers, said Brianna Cayo-Cotter, a spokeswoman for Change.org, the site that hosted protests about debit card fees before some major banks reconsidered them.
She said Hardwick's campaign proves that the issue "has clearly struck a nerve with the American public."
Hardwick, who moved to Omaha about two years ago for "a better job climate," started with Target in Kansas City three years ago. He worked full-time in security for the retailer until landing a full-time job at Office Max in September. Now he's at Target part-time, rounding up stray shopping carts in the parking lot.
He said that regardless of the outcome of his campaign, he plans to show up for his Target shift on Thanksgiving night. "Oh, I'll be there."
WHat a
ugh. I got an e-mail from change.org about this. "Sign the pe ion in support of the stores opening at 5 instead of midnight!" I was like
Is this (no racist)?
Get a better job then, this is way more convenient.
Nope. For real. I found the link on change...
http://www.change.org/pe ions/tell...e-thanksgiving
If I want that $200 hdtv best buy is offering I pretty much have to camp out at 8pm to get a guaranteed ticket. Sorry, but I think I will watch Longhorns football instead.
i need a tv for the garage, so i am sending my girl out to try to find a cheap tv.
Paki Thursday?
is that when they sell Slushies and Corn Nuts at half price?
here's one for $100
http://sanantonio.backpage.com/Trans...ial-23/5730247
Thanksgiving is always excruciatingly long and boring for me, so getting out to do some shopping might be a welcome escape.
This. You work at Target. If you were smart enough to have a better job then you wouldn't have to be at work at midnight on black Friday. But you are not...so stopand get your ass to work when they tell you to.
Send her to Walmart, they will have a 40 in for $248.But if you wait until next year they might be $148.
People go to the movies Thanksgiving night, so what's a little shopping now too?
This. You work at Target. If you were smart enough to have a better job then you wouldn't have to be at work at midnight on black Friday. But you are not...so stop
You almost won't need to Black Friday shop at all if you need a TV. One of the things i heard was that the demand for 3D HDTVs was projected to be 3.5M units for 2011, and they actually sold 1M.
I'd rather go black friday shopping at Midnight then ing 4 am. imo
I think what people fail to realize, What you don't spend, you save.
Who are you assuming to be a Democrat here?
I've never gone shopping on black friday and never plan to. Playing golf on the day when all the women golfers who suck and hold up play are out shopping is so much more fun.
black friday is yet another reason why the world laughs at america
Part of his message: "A full holiday with family is not just for the elite of this nation — all Americans should be able to break bread with loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving!"
I wonder if he's run this by all the nurses, doctors, hospital staff, firefighters and police officers who work every holiday every year?
The only Black Friday regret I have is missing out on the Santikos Movies $100 gift card for $25 last year.
But probably not the parts of the world that celebrate Boxing Day.
Thanksgiving. A time for shopping. smh
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