There has been a lot of chatter the past few weeks in the media and on the Grand Overseer about stores being open on Thanksgiving Day. I’m not talking about stores you’d think would be open, like your local grocery store — which I’m sure thousands of Americans desperately needed at about 11:00am yesterday. I’m talking about retail stores who open early to attract early shoppers looking for pre-Black Friday* discounts. The chatter has been about whether or not opening early is fair to those retail employees who have to report to work Thanksgiving Day.
I’m chiming in here to present the two sides** of this controversy, and to encourage you to think about both sides before deciding what you think. We’ve written about controversy in this way before. Granted, I’m a little late to the party on this since Thanksgiving was yesterday, but it is still fresh on everyone’s mind (I think).
BTW, we hope you have a lovely and safe holiday. Jax and TheScott and his parents graciously hosted me to an amazing meal and even better company. Thank you Family Jax for including me in your celebration!
Side 1: Hell No, We Won’t Go!
Retailers and shoppers on this side of the issue argue opening on Thanksgiving is slap in the face of tradition. Thanksgiving is a widely celebrated secular holiday recognized by most of corporate America, who gives their employees time off to celebrate with loved ones, be they family and/or friends. Those who open on Thanksgiving are forcing their employees to work on a day reserved for shared observation. Many shoppers are so opposed to “Grey Thursday†they are boycotting retailers who open on Thanksgiving. There is more to this argument, like how retail employees are already part of an industry that underpays and undervalues them. The idea being making them work on Thanksgiving is adding insult to injury.
Side 2: Live And Let Live
Retailers and shoppers on this side of the issue argue retailers are not breaking any laws*** and may well be providing their employees with an opportunity for extra income. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require paid time off for holidays or vacation; many (if not most) retail workers are classified as hourly and don’t get paid unless they work. Proponents of this viewpoint want us to let the market decide. Since retailers will be open on Thanksgiving is a relatively new trend — let’s see what happens.§ There is more to this argument, like how Black Friday creep might contribute to our economy in the wake of a government shutdown, which siphoned billions of dollars from the market in unpaid labor. The idea being we can’t afford to lose an opportunity to build consumer confidence.
I’ll be honest with you, I’m still on the fence about this.
As a consumer — I have no intention of brick and mortar shopping on Thanksgiving Day. However, I did go to Central Market on my way to The Castle for dinner. And I did browse the Internet for stuff I need for my house (though I didn’t buy anything). Retail shopping would compromise the day for me, and I choose not to do it. But my traditions are not the same as yours, and I don’t presume to judge those who choose to shop on Thanksgiving.
At the end of the day, there will be retail employees forced to work who don’t want to, and retail employees who want to work, but don’t have to opportunity to. For me, making the decision to oppose or not-oppose Grey Thursday is sort of like choosing between a douchebag and a turd sandwich (all hail South Park). What about you, Realm? What are your thoughts and how did you come to your opinion?
* As is often the case, I’m learning as I’m writing today. I always thought Black Friday was a tongue-in-cheek name for this shopping day because of the aberrant behavior it caused in people. I thought it was Black Friday akin to how “black†is used in Black Hole, referencing the unknown, scary, and most likely dangerous. It turns out my interpretation is closer to the origins of this title. The title was coined by the Philadelphia police department who used it to describe the traffic and crowd chaos that accompanied the Army-Navy football game, which was traditionally the day after Thanksgiving. The retail industry co-opted the term for their own use sometime in the 1980’s to reference being “in the black†(which is accounting-speak for making a profit).
** If there are more than two sides, I don’t know of them.
*** There are three states that ban retailers from opening on holidays, Rhode Island, Maine, and Massachusetts.
§ Since today is Black Friday, we sort of know how sales went yesterday. Apparently there were lots of shoppers, but nothing on the scale of Black Friday proper. I haven’t seen any economic pontificates argue whether Grey Thursday is a good financial trend or not.
3 comments
Jax says:
Nov 29, 2013
I’m opinionated on this. A lot. My ex-foster daughters getting their basic needs met depends on their bio mom and her boyfriends’ hourly wages. I get so angry when I see signs in doorways saying, “We’re taking FILL_IN_THE_HOLIDAY off so our employees can spend time with their families.” Um…did you ask their opinions on that? Because if you’re paying minimum wage and not so generous as to pay them for the holiday, then there’s a good chance your employees need that money so that family time can include cool things like dinner. The holidays are extra tough because the kids aren’t in school, where they get 2 meals paid for. That means theses companies are taking away income during a week that people need more money than normal. While the rest of us are spending extra money for a fancy meal, there are people out there having a harder time than usual making ends meet. So, seriously, companies, if you’re going to close on a holiday for the sake of your bottom line, I get that and it’s your right. But for the love of the gods, don’t put a hypocritical or just plain ignorant sign up that says you’re doing it for your employees. If you’re REALLY doing it for them, put your generosity where your bank is and send them home with a full paycheck.
Dawn says:
Nov 30, 2013
I guess that will depend on the retailer. Every hourly job I’ve ever had made that day we were closed one of our regular days off that week. We didn’t lose a day of pay. We just didn’t get the chance to make extra by working on a holiday. I generally fall on the side of NOT being open for the two whole days that many stores close each year. But I’ve never had to lose a day of pay because of it. What these retailers need to do is respect their employees year-round with a decent wage and not just pretend for those two days. A living wage will do much more for the morale (and the economy) and give people a chance to enjoy family time without the fear of losing money. Our system is beyond screwed up and “Grey Thursday” and “Black Friday” are band-aids on symptoms of larger problems. Cure the diseases of greed. The symptoms will fall away as well.
I am sorry that it hurt your family, especially the kids. They always seem to feel the unfairness the most. They have to do without while friends are celebrating. And they see the parents deal with the stress and guilt at not being able to provide even the basics of life. I’ve been that kid. I know how much it hurts.
Jax says:
Nov 30, 2013
I heartily agree that a much better solution is to pay a decent wage year round! 🙂 I’m glad you never had to lose pay over holidays. To make sure I’m clear, it’s not that I don’t want employees allowed the day off. I just get so frustrated when well-meaning people go on rants about the decline of old-fashioned values because a store is open on Thanksgiving (or whenever) and yet seem unconcerned with how a person who’s barely making ends meet in today’s crap economy with terrible minimum wage laws is going to feed their family with less money. I don’t feel like this campaign is fighting for people but for its own sense of propriety. And I have little tolerance for that. On the chain of important, propriety is waaaaaay down the list compared to food and shelter and the heating bill in winter.
But if stores can close on holidays and not dock pay, then I say that’s fantastic. To be honest, I don’t plan on shopping on a holiday and have fun figuring out how to make do without whatever I forgot. It would be much better if people had both a good paycheck AND the day off. 🙂