Thanksgiving as we all know supposed to be about family this time in 2013 it's
very often going to be about conflict in fact we're expecting
over 1500 Black Friday protests
just against wal-mart now they have
a number grievances with wal-mart with other companies that are
one not increasing things like minimum wage but specifically here making them
work on Black Friday but also
on Thanksgiving when they feel like they should be spending time with their
families
now everybody likes the deals that we see around this time originally Black
Friday would have huge deals
there were Cyber Monday and gradually bright black Friday has moved further
and further back until
I saw amazing deals last weekend actually we all appreciate the deals but
we understand that
for us to get them somebody needs to be manning those stores and very often the
people that don't get paid a lot have no benefits don't see raises despite the
number the years of service
that they give to these major corporations insult to injury to force
them to work on that time %uh
on that day as well and so some corporations have decided to do some
good things to try to
do a little charm offensive I guess to sway people's opinions of their
Thanksgiving I operating plans I guess
they're gonna force people to work but they're going to giving them some perks
let's talk about the perks
this is up from Britt Britt Beemer other founder uva
America's research group he says at last year employees can still eat with their
families and get to work on time
now retailers are opening up earlier in cutting into the dinner hours that they
have to go on a charm offensive
and so he is what he's talking about there is that traditionally some
companies will make you work
but you have to come in till six or seven to set up for Black Friday but he
still time to eat earlier in the day
that is becoming a thing of the past now some other things that these out workers
are actually getting
in exchange for being forced to work usually with a threat of losing your job
if you don't
among the public publicly announce perks offered for those who will work
Thanksgiving include
a 25 percent discount on a holiday season purchase from Walmart stores
wonderful a relaxed dress code have jeans and sneakers at Toys R Us
means n Kohl's corporation will provide funds for each store to help insure the
day is a fun one for associates
now a couple amendment I would like to make that if the funds are gonna go
towards putting a lock on the doors
that seems like a great way to make it a fun day for employees if they're allowed
to wear those jeans and sneakers
at home with their families on Thanksgiving I think that that's a great
policy
but so long as they have to work there I personally am not that concerned with
what they have covering their legs at the time I don't think that the
employees are not take much solace
in wearing sneakers if it means that their families are home enjoying
themselves while they're being forced to work
usually for minimum wage a couple other things
summer these are actually better because at least their monetary benefits
at Target Corporation said workers on Thanksgiving and Black Friday will get
extra compensation on top a premium holiday pay
and Macy's incorporate said it made out its holiday employee schedule
early to avoid workers having to pick up their ships are to allow workers to pick
up the ship's well in advance
in a move to minimize the impact on associates now
if you actually paying them more I'm more on your side of the ball like it
but I am more on your side now the fact that you're giving them double pay when
you're already paying them a shitty waged I think should be doubled
every day of the year that doesn't make me a much more on your side
but at least the money is a little bit better now with macy's is doing is what
I think is
for a company that just at the end of the day is not going to shut down
is probably the best thing that could possibly do if you open up
for volunteers to work months in advance that something because some people
either don't celebrate because
like me they don't have family in the region I'm to be spending with my dog so
whether I come to the studio or not doesn't really affect me
some people in terms our cultural background or maybe their first
generation
or they just choose not to to celebrate the holiday
that's perfectly fine if they want to work and if you can staff your store
purely on that
I don't think anyone would have a problem with you the problem comes when
you force people to work when you say if you do not show up we will fire you
we don't care if he worked here for a year or five years or ten years if
you're not here on Thanksgiving
or likely on Christmas as well we will fire you that's when people have a
problem and that's why so many people
are going to be engaging in these protests around the country when it
comes to Black Friday
that's why wal-mart is being forced to go to our does the supreme Court asked
them to block the sort to protest
I don't think they gonna be successful in that but they feel the need because
the huge amount of pushback that they're getting