Anthony Hardwick's "Tell Target to Save Thanksgiving" campaign has struck a nerve.
More than 122,000 people have signed the Target employee's petition at www.change.org/. His goal? To have supporters tell the retailer to give up its midnight store opening on Thanksgiving night. Employees want to eat turkey with their families next Thursday and not disrupt the holiday evening just so they can schlep to work to help Target earn an extra buck.
The argument appears to be gaining some traction. Some 60,000 Americans signed Hardwick's petition as of of Monday night. By Tuesday afternoon, the number was 93,363. By dawn Wednesday, it hit 100,053. By dusk it was nearly 123,000.
Target's decision to start Black Friday even earlier than usual wasn't done in a vacuum. Wal-Mart said it will open stores at 10 PM Thanksgiving night.
But the question is, are employees really suffering by being called to work on a holiday normally spent at home? What do you think? National unemployment still stings at 9 percent. Do workers have a right to gripe? Apparently so.
Sears felt so strongly about the subject, its communications staff sent reporters notes Tuesday saying Sears will stay shut on Turkey day so its employees can spend time with their families. As for shoppers? They can head to Sears store at 4 am on Black Friday.
Workers and employers, feel free to join in the debate on Twitter at DePassStrib or email dee.depass@startribune.com.
