Almost 5000 people have signed a petition calling for Kmart to ensure that its workers have enough time off on Thanksgiving, part of a backlash against retailers that are open during the holiday.
"We understand that it is retail, and employees understand that they have to work hours on holidays,” the campaign's organiser, Jillian Fisher, said on the website coworker.org. "However, Kmart's unnecessary hours are forcing its employees to miss out on important time with their families.”
Retailers such as Macy’s, J.C. Penney and Target are extending their Thanksgiving hours this year, prompting some workers to push back. The chains say they’re opening on the holiday because shoppers demand it, and they’ll lose sales if they don’t.
In a phone interview, Fisher said her mother, Donna, has worked at Kmart, a unit of Sears Holdings Corp., for 21 years, including on Thanksgiving. Last year, her mother and other workers were required to work a split shift during the holiday, Fisher said, which prompted her to start the petition last week. This year, her mom received her requested hours of 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Fisher said.
The chain has operated on Thanksgiving for 23 years, with stores opening at 6am for the past four years. This year, stores will operate for 42 hours straight, until midnight on the Friday after Thanksgiving. That’s up from 41 last year.
"Our stores do their very best to staff with seasonal associates and those who volunteer to work holidays,” the company said in an e-mail. “Seasonal associates are told upon hire of our holiday store hours and we make every effort to accommodate associate shift requests."
Bloomberg News, edited by ESM
