Thanksgiving is the day we take to give thanks for what we have, even if we are much less fortunate than others. It is a day that greed is far from our hearts, materialism is far from our minds and family and friends gather to share in the wealth of togetherness and love.
The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, is a different story. The biggest shopping day of the year is characterized by crowded stores, long lines and frenzied buying. And, as the Huffington Post reports, the lines between the two days are beginning to blur as many stores are planning to open at midnight on Thanksgiving Day.
A backlash is occurring, however, as employees are upset over having to give up family time on Thanksgiving to go into work and consumers are angry over corporate greed.
An Omaha, Nebraska Target employee, Anthony Hardwick, has started apetition on Change.org asking Target to open at 5 a.m. rather than at midnight. In a statement, Hardwick said that “with the midnight opening, employees like myself will have to leave for work right in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner.” According to The Huffington Post, more than 100,000 people have signed the petition.
“Target issued a statement…responding to the petition,” the report said, “alleging that Hardwick was never scheduled to work on Thanksgiving.” Target also said in the statement that holiday pay is being offered to all hourly employees who work on Thanksgiving Day.
