100,000 signatures to save Thanksgiving
Published in the Park University Stylus in Nov. 2011
By Andi Enns
Anthony Hardwick, 2009 Park University graduate in public relations and former Stylus editor, is not happy he has to work his retail job in Omaha, Neb. on Thanksgiving night. So unhappy, in fact, that he created a petition on Change.org, asking Americans nationwide to demand Target's CEO Gregg Steinhafel push back the opening time from midnight to their original plans of 5 a.m. on Black Friday.
"A midnight opening robs the hourly and in-store workers of time off with their families," Hardwick wrote in his petition. "By opening the doors at midnight, Target is requiring team members to be in the store by 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. A full holiday is not just for the elite of this nation - all Americans should be able to break bread with their loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving!"
Apparently, Hardwick isn't the only one who feels this way - as of going to press, Hardwick's petition had over 103,000 digital signatures.
He says he is scheduled for a 10 hour overnight shift on Thanksgiving.
"With the midnight opening, employees like myself will have to leave for work right in the middle of Thanksgiving Dinner," Hardwick said in a statement. "We don't mind hard work, but cutting into our holidays is a step too far."
Target isn't the only retailer opening earlier this year - Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Macy's, Kohl's, and many other national chains are choosing to open their doors on Thanksgiving Day instead of on Black Friday. Most business experts quoted in national media say this because shoppers would rather stay up late than get up early, and the projected sales were only 2 percent above last year's.
Hardwick has been interviewed by ABC, Boston Globe, New York Times, and many more - and he says because of all the publicity, he's afraid he might lose his job.
"Any time you poke a stick in the eye of a corporation," said Hardwick, in a phone interview with the Stylus, "you're going to see some ramifications. I won't lose my job over this, per say, but I'll lose it over an untucked shirt or clocking in a couple minutes late. They can be very stringent with their rules when they want to be."
Consumers are reportedly fighting back. The New York Times reported many consumers - many of whom were sympathetic to the Occupy Wall Street movement - will be boycotting Black Friday sales because they believe making people work on Thanksgiving is a social justice issue. Hardwick says he appreciates their support, but wants to make it clear that his petition is not an Occupy Wall Street protest.
His family is proud of him, Hardwick said.
"My grandma called me from Denver to tell me she was proud," he said. "It really made me choked up. My dad called me to say he was proud, too, which is every son's dream. They want to spend Thanksgiving with me as much as I want to spend it with them, so they're glad I'm fighting back."
The Target headquarters released a statement, claiming Hardwick was not scheduled on Thanksgiving, and he was instead scheduled at his other job, Office Max.
"That is completely false," said Hardwick. "Actually, I asked to just change my shift to be later in the day, and my supervisor said no because I was the only cart attendant available. One of the other team members I work with saw the conversation, and could verify it, but he's not sure he wants to talk to the media. Target is his only job."
Hardwick said, despite the statement being inaccurate, he believes they are focusing on the wrong thing.
"This isn't about me," said Hardwick. "This is about family and Thanksgiving, and people missing holidays with their loved ones. But if they can make it about me, and derail the conversation, they don't have to talk about the real issue - the workers."
He said he feels Target is "mudslinging" in defense of their opening time.
"I hope cooler heads will prevail," said Hardwick. "And then we can talk some turkey - pun intended."
By Andi Enns
Anthony Hardwick, 2009 Park University graduate in public relations and former Stylus editor, is not happy he has to work his retail job in Omaha, Neb. on Thanksgiving night. So unhappy, in fact, that he created a petition on Change.org, asking Americans nationwide to demand Target's CEO Gregg Steinhafel push back the opening time from midnight to their original plans of 5 a.m. on Black Friday.
"A midnight opening robs the hourly and in-store workers of time off with their families," Hardwick wrote in his petition. "By opening the doors at midnight, Target is requiring team members to be in the store by 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. A full holiday is not just for the elite of this nation - all Americans should be able to break bread with their loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving!"
Apparently, Hardwick isn't the only one who feels this way - as of going to press, Hardwick's petition had over 103,000 digital signatures.
He says he is scheduled for a 10 hour overnight shift on Thanksgiving.
"With the midnight opening, employees like myself will have to leave for work right in the middle of Thanksgiving Dinner," Hardwick said in a statement. "We don't mind hard work, but cutting into our holidays is a step too far."
Target isn't the only retailer opening earlier this year - Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Macy's, Kohl's, and many other national chains are choosing to open their doors on Thanksgiving Day instead of on Black Friday. Most business experts quoted in national media say this because shoppers would rather stay up late than get up early, and the projected sales were only 2 percent above last year's.
Hardwick has been interviewed by ABC, Boston Globe, New York Times, and many more - and he says because of all the publicity, he's afraid he might lose his job.
"Any time you poke a stick in the eye of a corporation," said Hardwick, in a phone interview with the Stylus, "you're going to see some ramifications. I won't lose my job over this, per say, but I'll lose it over an untucked shirt or clocking in a couple minutes late. They can be very stringent with their rules when they want to be."
Consumers are reportedly fighting back. The New York Times reported many consumers - many of whom were sympathetic to the Occupy Wall Street movement - will be boycotting Black Friday sales because they believe making people work on Thanksgiving is a social justice issue. Hardwick says he appreciates their support, but wants to make it clear that his petition is not an Occupy Wall Street protest.
His family is proud of him, Hardwick said.
"My grandma called me from Denver to tell me she was proud," he said. "It really made me choked up. My dad called me to say he was proud, too, which is every son's dream. They want to spend Thanksgiving with me as much as I want to spend it with them, so they're glad I'm fighting back."
The Target headquarters released a statement, claiming Hardwick was not scheduled on Thanksgiving, and he was instead scheduled at his other job, Office Max.
"That is completely false," said Hardwick. "Actually, I asked to just change my shift to be later in the day, and my supervisor said no because I was the only cart attendant available. One of the other team members I work with saw the conversation, and could verify it, but he's not sure he wants to talk to the media. Target is his only job."
Hardwick said, despite the statement being inaccurate, he believes they are focusing on the wrong thing.
"This isn't about me," said Hardwick. "This is about family and Thanksgiving, and people missing holidays with their loved ones. But if they can make it about me, and derail the conversation, they don't have to talk about the real issue - the workers."
He said he feels Target is "mudslinging" in defense of their opening time.
"I hope cooler heads will prevail," said Hardwick. "And then we can talk some turkey - pun intended."