For many years now, some retail stores have advertised special,
pre-Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day. I remember getting up early and
hitting some of those sales before getting home and settling in for a day of
food and football. Back then, the stores were only open until early afternoon,
so that employees could go home for Thanksgiving dinner, too. These days, though,
stores are open all day into the evening.
Over the last few years, it’s been a war between these
retail stores and those family-loving folks who are indignant over retail
workers being forced to work instead of spending the day with their families. From
the stores’ position, Thanksgiving Day has become one of the most popular
shopping days of the year. After all, this is a capitalist economy and profit
is the only thing that matters. Except to the folks who are adamant that the
day should be about family only. That is what
the day’s all about anyway… isn’t it?
WRONG. Let’s be honest. Thanksgiving is a made up, let’s-create-a-reason-to-gorge-ourselves-with-food-and-not-go-to-work-holiday.
There was no coming together in peace for the Pilgrims and the Indians. We
came, we took, we conquered, and we destroyed. That is worth celebrating? No… it sure is not. Thanksgiving ranks
right up there with Columbus Day as one of the most perverted, insensitive,
downright ridiculous holidays. But I digress…
According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of
Labor Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/retail-sales-workers.htm),
in 2012, retail workers numbered over 4.6 million and earned on average barely
over $20K per year. Many work part time, with few benefits. These are hard-working
people, proud and strong, trying to create a life for themselves and their families.
And while that, in and of itself, might lead one to think that the stores
should close and give them some well-deserved time at home with their families,
it’s just not that easy.
Working on Thanksgiving, a nationally-recognized paid
holiday, means that those who are working receive their normal wage plus holiday pay. If they happen to be
one of the lucky full time employees, it means double time. I can personally
attest that in my younger years, I always
volunteered to work not only on Thanksgiving, but every paid holiday possible.
Why? Because I was making minimum wage and trying to survive. Working on a paid
holiday meant not only extra money on my paycheck, but employers would often
provide a free lunch for employees who worked that day (another savings to me)
or provide other bonuses or incentives. Judge me if you will, but that money
and those other incentives mattered.
And what about those people who don’t have families or
simply aren’t close to their family? I live thousands of miles away from any of
my family. For the first time in seven years, I’m actually going home for
Thanksgiving this year. NOT because it’s so important for me to be with family
on this specific day of the year, though. I’m going because I found a cheap
flight and I don’t have to use any vacation time from work. But in years past,
being away from my family was tough for me not because I wasn’t hanging out
with family, but because everyone else around me treated me like some kind of
pathetic nomad because of it.
But let’s get to the real truth. If you need to circle a
specific day on the calendar in order to make time for your family, then that’s
on you. And that’s not meant to be judgmental. If spending the day with your
family is important, then please do that. Do whatever it is that is right for
you. Stay out of the stores. I have no problem with that. Or shop if you want.
That’s ok too.
However, if you’re someone who believes that the day is
meant to be with your family, and if you feel personally affronted that other
people are working their retail jobs… please
do not go out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving brunch/lunch/dinner. Do not go
out to the movies or to a jazz club or a bar. Please do not make that
last-minute run to the supermarket because you forgot whatever it was that you
forgot. Don’t call a cab to get anywhere. ALL of those people have families
too.
No comments:
Post a Comment