Target defends Black Friday hours amid protest

Some Target employees are hoping the giant retailer will rethink its plan to open stores at midnight on Black Friday. They claim the early opening will take many workers away from their families for a big part of Thanksgiving.

Target wants to open up earlier than ever -- at 12:01 a.m. that night.

CBS News national correspondent Jim Axelrod reports Target employee Seth Coleman would have to report to work at 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving - too early for him.

Coleman told CBS News, "All Americans should be able to break bread with loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving."

Coleman decided to fight back -- delivering bagfuls of petitions with 190,000 signatures to Target's headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn., Monday -- a campaign started by another Target worker in Omaha, Neb.

Anthony Hardwick, a petition drive organizer, said, "It's grown exponentially. ... It's just absolutely exploded."

Target's human resources director says workers should understand it's a matter of staying competitive. Anahita Cameron said, "Our guests have expressed that they would prefer to kick off their holiday shopping experience right after the holiday celebrations, rather than getting up in the middle of the night."

Other retailers are backing up their hours too - including Walmart (10 p.m. Thursday), Toys 'R Us (9 p.m. Thursday), Macy's (12 a.m. Friday) and Best Buy (12 a.m. Friday)

Catherine Moellering, executive vice president of the TOBE Report, a retail forecasting company, said, "Retailers are willing to open, especially in a hyper-competitive season where having an extra day or extra part of a day could be that competitive advantage that gives the retailers the upper hand."

Coleman said, "There are certain days in this country when we get to be with our families and give thanks. If I'm at work, almost the entire day, I have nothing to give thanks for or at least no one to give thanks with."

Hundreds of Target customers are now writing to register their opinions against "Black Thursday" on the company's Facebook page, urging the company to "save Thanksgiving."

So, Target may have to reassess what makes the most business sense.

27 Comments Add a Comment

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dmichael661 says:: When I worked at Target they made us come in at 12:01AM on Dec. 26 (Christmas Night) to get ready for the day after Christmas sales and were told we would be fired if we refused, but we did have all of Thanksgiving Day off. Christmas day was very short, I went to bed at 5 in the afternoon. I feel for the current team members having to come in on Thanksgiving night. That is crazy and I will shop somewhere else this Christmas season.; reply

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SteffM0521 says:: I don't agree with the hours but Target isn't the only one doing this. I worked at Macy's 2 years ago and I had to go to work at 11:30 PM so that we could be ready to open at midnight. The company I work for now has a few locations that will be open at midnight. My husband worked for Big Lots for 7 years and they are open ALL DAY on Thanksgiving. Its been literally 5 years since we've spent Thanksgiving together as a family. The responsibility lies with the consumer. If shoppers would stop patronizing the stores that open at midnight, then they would end up losing money and be forced to open later. Or, save your pennies, get a college degree and get out of retail work.; reply

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tj1966 says:: I am boycotting the whole weekend shopping event. Plan on spending day two with my family and being in my house. Boycotting gas prices too. If we really want to make a difference we need to use our dollars to vote. Retail thinks they own their employees. They don't and furthermore why do we even need holidays if people aren't allowed time off with other family member's. There is nothing in this world I need this weekend that can't wait. I planned for stores to be shut not open.; reply

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harmonyglb says:: Black THURSDAY has finally pushed my family over the edge. When the greed of big companies becomes so much that employees have to start sacrificing Thanksgiving, one of the nicest, non commercialized, family time holidays, enough is enough. I called all of my Christmas guests yesterday and told them this year is about family, good times, and special or homemade gifts only. We are done with the stress that comes with over-purchasing too much stuff we didn't need anyways.; reply

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Kaddy26 says:

This entire petition thing about working drives me nuts. 1)people should not be complaining about working because they are lucky to have a job 2) most places do not "make" their employees work on holidays they look for volunteers, 3) holidays equals overtime which means more money and in this economy money is certainly needed 4) the fact that someone is complaining about having to go in at night is a joke. You have already had family time and given thanks. By 11pm i can guarantee most of ones family is asleep. 5)my husband misses most holidays because he has to work and im not talking about going into work at night, im talking about a 24hr shift. And fyi if he is scheduled to work a holiday he is not getting paid overtime he is getting his normal salary. If people who work retail shouldn't work on a holiday then i guess that means nurses, doctors, firefighters, police men, etc shouldn't work either. 6) lastly do not work retail if you do not like the hours. Thats when most retailers make their most money on weekends and holidays. Get real Coleman. You have nothing to be thankful for? Well how about your job at target that ensures you have food in your belly and a roof over your head. Get real and stop complaining.


SouthernHillbilly replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Are you for real?

(1) I've worked retail before (not anymore, thank God), and your "most places do not "make" their employees work on holidays they look for volunteers" statement is patently false. If nobody volunteers, how do you think they compel people to work?

(2) Your argument basically boils down to "employers should be able do anything they want with/to their employees, and if they don't like it they can go live in a cardboard box". It's that exact same mindset that's gotten this country into the mess it's in. Wages that (in real terms) have been stagnant for 20 years, outsourcing entire industries to countries where it's literally legal to torture/beat your employees, expectations for productivity to keep going up and up, benefits to keep going down and down, completely trashing Christmas (which, by the way, is supposed to be a celebration of CHRIST's birth -- not an enormous, disgusting multi-thousand-dollar gift swap), and now people can't even spend 24 hours with their families. People should just shut their mouths and take it, right? If you don't like it then go live in a dumpster and eat disgarded donuts, right? Bring back child labor too while we're at it, right? Just shut your mouths, be quiet, and keep buying cheap plastic garbage, right?

Guess what, I believe in capitalism, and I also believe in voting with your wallet. Target (and Walmart, and Best Buy) is not seeing a dime of my money. Let's see what the customers decide.

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MaReKoKa says:: I like how "Target's human resources director... Anahita Cameron says, workers should understand it's a matter of staying competitive. Hahahaha, how much do you want to bet she isn't coming into work at 12AM on black Friday.; reply

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mcjames4 says:: It's not just a protest against black friday; in my opinion, since I have worked for target I believe that it is a statement against maximizing profit at the expense of others. Target is so against workers unions that, during my initial orientation they thought it was important to stress that I should not try to join any workers union...why, I found out when I was fired.The workers have no rights and that just the way they want it; and its not just target either; reply

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me42703 says:: My daughter lives 600 miles away from me. I am fortunate enough to have time off and am going to drive to see her and spend Thanksgiving day through Sunday with her. She recently was hired as seasonal help with a major retailer after being out of work for over a year and has to work a shift each day I will be there. I am grateful that she has job and that I have time off and am able to go see her. We will make the best of the time we have together and work around her schedule. Be glad for what you have. That's what Thanksgiving is about. It's as simple as that.; reply

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Schooner131 says:

A second ago, everyone was whining they had no work or money. Stop complaining. You have work. And this article, as usual from CBS, is moronic.

This country is so pathetic. No wonder we're overrun with illegals. The legals want to sit on their keisters.

No kidding there's no more 'greatest generation.'

You are very lucky to have a job.


SouthernHillbilly replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; You do realize that EVEN the "greatest generation", with all of the hardships they faced, were at least granted the dignity of having Thanksgiving off, right? Also, during the "golden age" of this country, the top income bracket the super wealthy were taxed was 90%. We should return to those "good old days", eh?

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ChicagoJK says:

Really hard to believe someone is complaining about work, considering the vast number of those unemployed this holiday season. If this guy and his friends don't want to work, there are plenty I know will jump at the chance to replace him on the job and work his hours with a big smile. I've worked several hours on many holidays over the years, and was grateful to have a job.


ChicagoJK replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; I say schedule them to work, and if they don't show, let them go and hire someone who takes employment seriously and makes their job a priority because they want to feed their family.