McDonald's to Franchises: Open Doors on Christmas

reply to post by sconner755


Well I wouldn't exactly label it important specifically to me per se. I did feel it was a worthy topic for discussion in regards to what I feel was plain and simply corporate greed among other things.

So I guess I should ask you why is it that you care what I care about or what is or isn't important to me?

reply to post by UberL33t


i'm not sure why this is an issue?? around here mcDonalds have been opened 365 days a year including christmas.. why?? because they are about profits and ppl travel on this day... whats easier when coming home from grandma's house.. breaking into the leftovers in the trunk or feeding the kids some mcnuggets? lol.. although i do agree employee's should be paid accordingly. I myself worked the holiday.. both christmas eve and christmas day.. no time off for sick folks.

Originally posted by bluemirage5
reply to post by UberL33t

 

Xmas Day, 25th December is a pagan celebration that goes way back before Christianity. REAL Christians should'nt even be celebrating Xmas Day so whats the problem with any business open on this day?

edit on 25-12-2012 by bluemirage5 because: (no reason given)

Christmas is about having quality time with your family and maybe friends. Those further down the totem pole shouldnt be deprived on it, having their livelihood threatened. I am certain that the ceo will spend christmas with his family. Even the jews, muslims and buddhists (in Japan at least) celebrate christmas in their own way.

I feel empathy for those who have no choice but to work Christmass day.
I had to do it three years in a row whilst driving Cabs in Melbourne when I was in my early twenties.
I earned about $14 per hour plus tips....
Which were not big believe me.
To all you people who smile on Christmass day whilst serving at Mcdonalds or your local Grocery store ,gas station, ect ect ect ect.
I know how big you are...the ones who get their annual four to six weeks leave , who go about life as if they are virtuos because they get these conditions , and treat those who do not as servants , or naturally inferior.

Just smile my friends who work , whilst others play.
Jesus is with you , just keep the faith.

Originally posted by MerindaI am certain that the ceo will spend christmas with his family.

I bet he will, I also think he is at a way different point in his career as an employee.

Some corporations may indeed take advantage of the need of those with no or few skills to make a buck - perhaps McDonalds is one of them in some way. I don't really know enough about the company to comment either way.

I can provide one personal story about McDonalds. I had a friend in High School. Similar to my own family situation he grew up fairly poor. None of us had any aspirations of college a good job was the best we could dream. I joined the Army and we lost touch for 10 years till our reunion. I went back and through the grape vine I hear he still works at McDonalds - he started there in High school.

At the reunion - I confirm, yes he does still work for McDonalds but not at McDonalds as people had implied in a negative way.

He was a regional manager supervising like 10 corporate stores making almost six figures. They had paid for his degree in business administration completely while he had worked his way up the chain. Now I am retired from the Army having gone to college myself and he is still working as the VP of something or other (It changes every time I talk to him) and making more than 250k for the same company he started with in High School – McDonalds.

Point is - I bet he worked on Christmas and other holidays when he was working his way up. I bet he doesn't any more.

Everyone starts at the bottom of a chain and can - if they apply themselves and work hard make it to the point they won't be working holidays. Everyone has to pay their dues...

reply to post by Golf66


Indeed - they do the same the world over. In the UK, if you show willingness and the aptitude, they will train the crap out of you and you will climb the ladder. McDonalds does not expect any of it's employees to languish on the grill for 20 years and in the UK, they have the "Investor in People" award, which isn't handed out willy-nilly.

Investor in People

I did some time at McD's myself as a school leaver and it was good experience, it stood me in good stead when I applied for my apprenticeship @ Nortel and now I'm on a decent salary in a technical job for a global company..

reply to post by opethPA


Exactly! I work at a radio station. Guess what? We don't go off-air for holidays. I also work for a local ambulance service. No day off there, either.

I guess OP thinks McDonald's employees are a higher class citizen than radio announcers, medical technicians, police, 24 hr service station workers, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

reply to post by ldyserenity


So if you are alone, with no family, and the dollar menu is about all you can afford, you should just go hungry. Or find a nice warm soup kitchen. Because THAT's not going to strip all your dignity on Christmas.

If it's not a worthy cause, then don't eat a mcrib on Christmas. Apparently, it's important to someone. Maybe you have to travel on Christmas after an early holiday with the family, or you're on your way to a late Christmas gathering). Certainly poor planning is to blame, or you just hope to find a McDonalds open on the way.

Employees arent being forced to work that day. As one of the first posts on the subject point out, McWorkers put themselves on the Christmas schedule.

reply to post by therealdemoboy

I guess OP thinks McDonald's employees are a higher class citizen than radio announcers

Well no, I wouldn't necessarily class them or you for that matter any higher or lower one over the other. I believe you may be misconstruing the purpose of posting this article. You do realize I didn't write the article yes? Just posted it for discussion as per the comments from the linked article it seemed rather controversial. Of course I gave my opinion on the matter, as did you.

You're a radio announcer/part time ambulance service...person. Presumably, at least one of those professions you make a salaried wage, in which holidays, or time off in general, is usually a hit or miss based on any number of factors.

You apparently see no issues with them working, I see this specific situation as simple corporate greed. That, is what I think.

Please rest assured however, that I am well aware "the whole world" cannot completely shutdown due to a holiday.

Originally posted by Merinda
Christmas is about having quality time with your family and maybe friends. Those further down the totem pole shouldnt be deprived on it, having their livelihood threatened. I am certain that the ceo will spend christmas with his family. Even the jews, muslims and buddhists (in Japan at least) celebrate christmas in their own way.

And what about those of us who have no surviving family, and who's friends are all spending time with their own families?

Those of us who choose not to subscribe to the greatest fantasy story ever written?

Why should your beliefs govern what other people do with their lives? I see absolutely no issue with a business choosing to be open at whatever days and times they decide to be open, and religion should not try and dictate that they cannot be open. Proving of course that the staffing on those days is genuinely voluntary.

I spent xmas day alone, as I have no surviving family, eating a boil-in-the-bag meal, because its not worth cooking a full meal just for one person, sitting indoors, reading a book (lets face it, theres nothing worth watching on the idiot-box). Boring as hell. I didn't go down t'pub, because I don't drink alcohol. Nowhere else was open, and all public transport was shut down, not even a skeleton service.

Most other holidays are not total shutdown like Christmas is, and I can usually find something more interesting to do.

Again, why should other peoples religious beliefs govern what I can or cannot do during their "holidays"?

The problem I have with it is that Mc.D's is the first step down a flight of greasy steps. Next, Walmart, Starbucks and the local autoparts store will feel the need to make extra money, then it will become the norm for the rest of the world. After that, normal retail will be open 24hours and every thing will be part time.

The problem with part time is, those who want all the hours they can get are screwed out of it and the students who need free time get screwed out of that too! When I was working part time at Canadian Tire, I wanted 2 days off in a week, didn't matter what days, just so long as I had some time away from the stress (for me it was stress). I never asked for 2 days off in a row, I never asked for anything, but they were on my scedule, but I would always get called in! After 3 weeks of that bull, I didn't pick up the phone on my day off, I could have been outside for all they know. They must have had some unspoken rule that states "you must prove to us you need the time off for some major event, otherwise we can you if you don't come when called". Was canned after 3 months for not coming in when others didn't show even though I was never late and ALWAYS came in on the days I was sceduled for.

Retail sucks because its the bottom of the barrel and people NEED the money. So any more power they have over peoples freedom will just make it worse. Its akin to the police being told to forcefully take peoples guns, police need to eat too, most will not have a choice. I'm sure they don't want to work at Mc.D's either.