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Stores Open on Thanksgiving
This is a discussion on Stores Open on Thanksgiving within the Vents and Rants forums, part of the Say Anything category; Just had to get this out. . .
I hate that stores are open on Holidays! I know certain places have to ...
I hate that stores are open on Holidays! I know certain places have to be open and people must work such as hospitals, nursing homes etc. but it is out of control. My view is spend the holidays with family and if you don't have friends or family in your area then volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen. Most of the places that were open today hire min. wage workers and make them come in for straight pay. Single mothers are away from their children because someone feels the need to shop! My view is buy what you need the night before, borrow from a neighbor what you forgot or DO WITHOUT! Most of us have plenty and wouldn't miss the rolls or cranberries someone forgot to pick up. I just think it's sad that we treat the Holidays just like any other day. Just think if no one bought a single thing from these stores on holidays they would think twice before being open the next year. The next time you make a purchase on a holiday remember that your keeping someone from spending time with their family.
Where I live not one of the stores was open. Not Wal-Mart, not Big Lots, not our major grocery store chains (Shaws and Hannaford), etc. In fact most convenience stores were closed except for a few gas stations.
Stores must only be open in certain areas of the country. Perhaps only in major cities?
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Allison
Mother to Jessica, Joshua, Hannah and Nickolas
I once worked in a gas station that was open 24/7 365. My family lived 2 1/2 hours away from me, so I missed some holidays as a result of that job. It sucked! What also sucked was people were so cheery and would say things like "oh, sorry you have to work on a holiday". Of course I just smiled and acted nice, while inside I was thinking "yeah you jackwipe!, if you kept your butt at home and they had no sales I wouldn't have to be here!"
I'm old enough to remember when *nothing* was open. If you didn't have gas or whatever, you were SOL. We some how survived and people would now also, if places just stayed closed.
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Asexuality: It's not just for amoebas anymore
"As long as two people love each other I don't think God cares whether they both have a hoo hoo or a haa haa" Marge Simpson
Well my parents own 3 small gas stations and are open on Thanksgiving. But the workers are well paid for the day. They only have to work for 4 hrs. Sorry but they tell people they have to work on holidays at the time of hire. Now I think that big departments stores should close. But my parents gas stations also supply gas for emergency vechiles. So they kind of have to stay open.
Well my parents own 3 small gas stations and are open on Thanksgiving. But the workers are well paid for the day. They only have to work for 4 hrs. Sorry but they tell people they have to work on holidays at the time of hire. Now I think that big departments stores should close. But my parents gas stations also supply gas for emergency vechiles. So they kind of have to stay open.
No they don't EM. What do you think emergency vehicles did 20 years ago? They got gassed up before the holiday. Besides, most counties have gas pumps for Police, Fire and ambulances that are owned by the county or municipality, they don't generally use commercial gas stations. In fact, one year a young woman got lost and ended up in my small hometown (less than 3000 people). My dad gassed her up at the police gas pump so she could get to her destination because she was nearly out of gas and she had gone to the police station for directions, as well as wanting to know where an open gas station was. Since there were no stations open, he helped her out.
Frankly, I have never, in my 38 years seen any emergency vehicle gas up at a commercial station, so I am calling a big BS on your "excuse". Even if your excuse were real why would all three need to be open for 24 hours? Yes, I was told about the policy at the time of hire, but I had never come across a place so inflexible in it's policies. Everyone else's family lived in the area so it was easy for them to plan events around their work schedule. I had people willing to cover for me so I could take one day and go out of town to see my family on the holiday, but no, the company would not allow that. There was no reason for that, no wonder they had no employee loyaty.
Perhaps your parents are not so inflexible as to allow people to trade shifts on the holidays. If not, then at least I'll give them that, if so, then they are just as bad as every other gas company. Also, even double time is not worth being unable to see your family for the holiday. At most I bet they make 7 bucks an hour, so that is 14 dollars an hour on a holiday (if indeed they get double time and not just time and 1/2). So, 4 hours at 14$ is whopping 56$. Tell you what EM, I'll give you 56$ to fill in for one of those employees on Christmas. Is it worth it to you?
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Asexuality: It's not just for amoebas anymore
"As long as two people love each other I don't think God cares whether they both have a hoo hoo or a haa haa" Marge Simpson
No, we are not in a big city. It's not a small town but not large either. My sister is a peramedic and she had to work which is understandable. We celebrated with her on Saturday. I know the hospital she works for has their own gas pumps but maybe smaller towns don't. I just think it's sad. I guess this all hit home for me a few years ago when my sister was working on Christmas and picked up a single mother that was working at a small store when she was robed and stabed. She later died all for $100 when she should have been home with her family. It just scares me of what kind of greed my daughter will grow up in. I hope I do a good job of raising her with better values.
It is sad Lorie, but I'm afraid that we can't undo it. We have become a 24/7 world. What started out as covienience (trying to serve people who work at jobs like your sister) has become the norm and people expect it.
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Asexuality: It's not just for amoebas anymore
"As long as two people love each other I don't think God cares whether they both have a hoo hoo or a haa haa" Marge Simpson
Yes it's sad but you are right. I will be doing my part and not shopping on major Holidays. Just another way that the world is going to hell in a handbasket! LOL
I work in a grocery store and I can tell you it is getting worse every year. People are becoming more and more and more last minute shoppers. It used to be the stores were open only until noon so that people who forgot the whipped cream or the rolls could run in and get them. The stores had the minimum of staff on hand. Now people come in at 6am and want to buy the turkey, the stuffing, the rolls, the green beans, the pies, you name it. Last year we had people get pissed off at us because we ran out of fresh turkeys and only had frozen ones at 3pm. It is getting out of hand.
I don't think all stores should be closed because some things can't wait. You can never control when somone in your family will become ill and sometimes you need to run to the store for meds.
Stores Open on Thanksgiving
