Wal-mart Getting a Black Eye on Black Friday?

While I was sitting in my favorite chair yesterday I noticed a runner at the bottom of the tv screen.  I saw the words Wal-mart, Black Friday and strike in the same sentence.  Intrigued, I Googled it (of course).  It appears that many Wal-mart workers are unhappy with the hours Wal-mart will be open for Black Friday.  Black Friday has crept into Thanksgiving Day, itself, with stores like Wal-mart and Target opening at 8 pm and 9 pm, respectively, on Thanksgiving Day.  I can certainly understand why people are a bit pissed off.  I know I would be.  They just want to make every penny they can during the holidays.

I remember years ago thinking it was ridiculous that stores opened at 6 am on what is now Black Friday.  That became the standard until some genius had the idea to open at 5 am.  Then it became 4 am.  It is the herd mentality and all the stores, pretty much, have followed suit.

Where did the term Black Friday come from?  Well, folks it seems that back on September 24, 1869 some financiers tried to corner the gold market which failed but led to a depression.  That was the beginning of the term.  Nice connotation right?  In a general sense it is any Friday in which a calamity occurred.  Currently, Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving was so named because that is when retailers thought the extra sales would put them "into the black ink."  Personally, I think it is totally wrong for businesses to snatch away employees' family time.

It seems to signal that retailers could care less about their employees.  It'is the mighty buck they are chasing.  We really can't blame the businesses.  Right now they are slaves to stockholders, possibly, you and me.  There is the constant pressure for businesses to show more and more profit.  So, in a way, we are also to blame.  First, for the pressure we apply for profits and second, for rushing to the stores as they open earlier and earlier Thanksgiving night.

We are in a frenzy to get the super deals stores are using to entice us in earlier and earlier.  We know they will only have a few of the items so it is almost a battle to get through the doors and get the deals.  All of us remember the reports of people being crushed by stampeding mobs rushing in as the doors open.

The story I read about the possible strikes was in the Annandale, VA Patch.  It appears that strikes are not being threatened all over but in select areas.  My heart really goes out to the employees of all retailers.  They have a really hard job and get little reward.  Now, their family time is being stolen from them.

In my opinion, this situation is not going to get better only worse.  What are they going to do next, open at noon on Thanksgiving Day?  I guess we could show businesses that we are on the side of the employees by not going to these sales.  Right.  You and I know that is not going to happen.  We are all guilty of falling into this trap.  I did it once or twice years ago.  Was it worth it?  Not really.

With regard to hours open, the retailers need to rethink this philosophy and start going the other direction.  They need to start trimming back their opening hours so their employees can have a bit of their own Thanksgiving.  It just takes one large corporation to place a full-page ad stating: "For the benefit of our employees and their families, we will open at 7 am on the Friday after Thanksgiving."  Maybe others will see the positive PR in this and follow suit.  Unfortunately, I just don't see this happening.  There doesn't seem to be a corporate desire to do the right thing.  It will only get worse.  For me this is the ugly side of retailing.  This is a black eye on the entire industry.

I actually remember when it was almost impossible to find any business open on Thanksgiving Day.  Boy, I am really dating myself.  Now, it is almost impossible to find one that stays closed.

As a wise Tennessee woman once said in her thick Southern accent, "it just ain't right!"

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday.  Please pass the yams.

Michael Kaynard is a local photographer who lives in West Ashley.  His photos can be seen at http://kaynardphotography.webs.com.  He can be reached at mkaynard@gmail.com or 843-412-2299.