Who is working Thanksgiving 2015?

[ZLoth]

It's that time of year again.... when I ask "Are you working Thanksgiving?" If you don't believe me, see this thread from 2014 and 2013.

Why do I bother? Because of all the "outrage" about the stores being open on Thanksgiving, and that the retail workers having to work the holiday instead of being with their families. Of course, we conveniently ignore the fact that there are plenty of "invisible" people who work Thanksgiving including police officers, firefighters, medical personnel, and lets not forget servicepeople who are currently deployed. That, of course, doesn't include the visible people who will be working the casinos, restaurants, movie theaters, and in the stadiums for those three football games including the traditional Detroit Lions game. (I checked, no NHL or NBA games on Thursday).

I can understand some of the feeling. Up until a few years ago, "everything" non-essential except for hospitality and gas stations shut down for Thanksgiving. After gorging oneself on Thanksgiving, some people would then shop on Friday. And, then, the Black Friday sales came.

Now, part of it is the profit motivation. If the retail establishments didn't see the profit motivation, they wouldn't do it. Many of the workers are low-skill, low-wage, and they are just a resource. Part of me want to tell these workers that if you don't want to work holidays, get the skills so that you don't work a job that has you working holidays. But, then I turn around, and want to ask the upper management who make the decisions to be open on a holiday if they would like to be in the trenches working on Thanksgiving instead of being home on Thanksgiving. I think I see the trend when opening earlier simply means the peak traffic is shifted earlier. And, lets not forget the fights over a fourth-tier HDTV that will break down three days after the warranty ends.

And, for the record.... I am a highly-skilled technicians who works with European customers. This means I'm working Thanksgiving. Again. I need the money for a new roof on my home.

Some memes:
EMTs, paramedics, and nurses work every holiday
If you don't want to work on Thanksgiving
Captain Kirk
Willie Wonka: Working at Walmart?
Thanksgiving with a pilot

[roadman65]

I am at my job.  I work at a local fast food in a busy tourist area, so we need to be open.

[bulldog1979]

I'll be working night audit Wednesday night into Thursday morning and again Thursday night. Then after a quick turn around, I'll be back Friday for 2nd shift, but then I'm off the weekend.

[Pete from Boston]

If I could work Thanksgiving and Christmas I would, simply because it would get me out of an awful lot of obligatory driving.  Anyone needs me to cover a shift, say the word.

[empirestate]

The past two years I had a job that had me working Thanksgiving and Christmas days. I didn't get that job this year, so while I could have picked up a fair amount of side work on the holidays anyway, I made a point not to work them this year. My wife is now in a work schedule where she only gets typical holidays off, so it would have been a drag for her to sit around home while I went off to work on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas. Next year, who knows, we may both be back to work on those days.

Another day I made sure to have off is December 18th. 

[jakeroot]

I work in the hospitality industry, so there is a potential that I can work any holiday. But luckily, I have been with my place of employment for quite a while now, so I have thanksgiving off. I do work Wednesday night and Friday morning though.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

As always, the last Thursday of November is just one more day for me. This year December 6th (Spanish Constitution day) is on a Sunday, and as we don't like to lose a holiday we will observe it the following day. And December 8th is also a holiday, so... .

Anyway, our sort of Thanksgiving is on August 15th, since it was usually around then when the harvest was finished. And up to this day a vast majority of the Spanish villages and towns still held their Summer festivals around that date.

[xcellntbuy]

On my eighth day of vacation.

[SteveG1988]

Driving my semi, probably going to have a down day then. Not many places are open, but i needed the cash, so i am working thanksgiving but not christmas, i'd rather stay out over thanksgiving instead.

[Rothman]

Heck no.  Not working Friday, either.  Haven't had to work either day in over a decade.

[Zeffy]

Not working on Thanksgiving, but I'm working on Friday. Since I'm in the corporate world though, I don't care since nothing will change.

[Rothman]

Not working on Thanksgiving, but I'm working on Friday. Since I'm in the corporate world though, I don't care since nothing will change.

What do you mean by "nothing will change"?

[roadman]

I am off on Thanksgiving, but am working both Wednesday and Friday.  I actully like working Friday, since therey's hardly anyone in the office and I can usually get caught up on stuff,

[NWI_Irish96]

My wife is a respiratory therapist at a hospital.  She works 6:30pm-7:00am Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights this week. 

[1995hoo]

We are closed Thursday and Friday. I don't go shopping Friday, but we do have Capitals tickets that evening.

On Saturday we had hoped to play golf but will instead be attending a funeral Mass.

[ET21]

Luckily I don't work Thursday, but I will be on Friday

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Why do I bother? Because of all the "outrage" about the stores being open on Thanksgiving, and that the retail workers having to work the holiday instead of being with their families. Of course, we conveniently ignore the fact that there are plenty of "invisible" people who work Thanksgiving including police officers, firefighters, medical personnel, and lets not forget servicepeople who are currently deployed.

I don't think anyone ignores that these people work on Thanksgiving. My quibble is comparing essential service personnel to the cashier at Target making $7 an hour. The only purpose the local Target being open on Thanksgiving serves is so people with misplaced priorities can have their holiday crap sooner for a marginally lower price. Sure, I get that not everybody has families and some people would probably rather work than spend time with relatives but I stand by my point.

[Duke87]

Despite my saying "never will at my current job" last year, there is a good chance I may actually be doing some work on Thursday since I'm in the midst of an unprecedented OT crush.

Won't interfere with any holiday plans, though, since I'm not on any particular shift and can do work whenever/wherever (well, wherever there is wifi I can use).

And I'm getting paid for the extra hours so I ain't complainin'.

[wanderer2575]

Will be doing some work from home.  I'm in Payroll, and I pay those people working in the stores on the holidays.

[Zeffy]

What do you mean by "nothing will change"?

The things I do on a day-to-day basis will be no different on Black Friday than say last Friday.

[allniter89]

Wednesday I'm loading oj in Orlando going to St Paul, MN. Consignee is a 24/7 operation so I'm hoping to do a drop & hook Saturday then head back to O town. I was just home last week so I will stay out until Dec 20-23 then stay home until Jan 2. I dont mind working any holiday except Christmas.

[Rothman]

What do you mean by "nothing will change"?

The things I do on a day-to-day basis will be no different on Black Friday than say last Friday.

Hm.  Then why go in? 

[empirestate]

What do you mean by "nothing will change"?

The things I do on a day-to-day basis will be no different on Black Friday than say last Friday.

Hm.  Then why go in? 

Well, why not? When one is scheduled to work, one usually goes in.

I think all he's saying is, it won't be any great terror for him to show up at work Friday, since he works in (or for) an office and not in retail where it's sure to be a madhouse.

[Zeffy]

What do you mean by "nothing will change"?

The things I do on a day-to-day basis will be no different on Black Friday than say last Friday.

Hm.  Then why go in? 

Well, why not? When one is scheduled to work, one usually goes in.

I think all he's saying is, it won't be any great terror for him to show up at work Friday, since he works in (or for) an office and not in retail where it's sure to be a madhouse.

Bingo. Plus I don't have vacation time because I'm still too new to be accruing any.

[jeffandnicole]

Why do I bother? Because of all the "outrage" about the stores being open on Thanksgiving, and that the retail workers having to work the holiday instead of being with their families. Of course, we conveniently ignore the fact that there are plenty of "invisible" people who work Thanksgiving including police officers, firefighters, medical personnel, and lets not forget servicepeople who are currently deployed.

I don't think anyone ignores that these people work on Thanksgiving. My quibble is comparing essential service personnel to the cashier at Target making $7 an hour. The only purpose the local Target being open on Thanksgiving serves is so people with misplaced priorities can have their holiday crap sooner for a marginally lower price. Sure, I get that not everybody has families and some people would probably rather work than spend time with relatives but I stand by my point.

Then do you have a problem with all the people that are needed to work all aspects of football games, parades, and other events that occur on Thanksgiving?   We focus on the players on the field, but there's numerous people that work the parking lots, concession stands, ushers, ticket takers, etc, etc, etc.