Exhausted Target worker's Black Friday crash defies Star Tribune's bizarre "be happy you have a job" editorial

• Working the graveyard shift can kill you. Seriously. Working nights turns your body clock upside-down and everything is out of whack. Most people can't sleep 7 or 8 consecutive hours when it's daylight outside so arriving at work exhausted is the norm. I worked 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. for two years and rarely got more than 4 hours of decent sleep during the day, even with sleeping pills and ear plugs. I also gained 75 pounds (I had to eat constantly at my desk all night to stay awake) and wound up with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Bad, bad, bad.

• This employee might not be the only casualty.  There were reports and some speculation that lots of customers were hitting the roads after a day of partying.  It was too tempting go out and get the bargains rather than staying at home to sleep off the booze.

• My sentiments exactly.  I had 12 years of that as well.  It's the job, deal with it. 

• I think Eric said it best...the details surrounding the accident were not provided.  It could be a simple excuse for making a stupid mistake (ex. texting, radio, eating, etc.) that has now been blown out of proportion or she could have just fallen asleep and crashed.  She could just as easily been "exhausted" going to work at 3am (had Target kept their original black Friday hours) or 5pm coming home from her normal shift.  No matter where you work you are given a schedule and you plan around it if you'd like to receive a check.

• So many are LAZY and want FREE money.Some need HELP but way to many are LAZY and think they are entitled.

• If I Read you right: YES it is the shoppers fault.If they wouldn't shop on those nites,the store wouldn't stay open.I have never shopped on one of those late nites.

• DITTO's

• Hay: Complaining is part of life.[Very nice day BUT those dam [Mosceto's, M.S.] Like E.K. said Work in agriculture,on a farm and many other very tough jobs that don't pay well.A lot of it is pride in you job,The money helps thought.

• Becky your right.  Most people don't know how to work any more and/or don't want to do a good days work. Just like most of the readers on this site.Well most of them are form the Twin Cities and are lazy XXXXX bads. I'm not rich and lost my job 2 yr's ago.I just don't want someone to put me in the class that I sound like.I'm just old fastion,WORK

• DITTO's

• These people don't exactly have a week off to readjust their body rhythm. They're busy working their normal shifts, so at best they could have napped earlier on Thanksgiving day, missing out on whatever festivities, and STILL ended up tired because their body would be used to sleeping! EMTs and firefights choose jobs that come with the expectation of working odd hours. Target is not 24 hours, so pretty sure that nobody is expecting to work overnights EVER except...well...the overnight crew.

• Florida has among the worst public transportation in the nation and most cities that do have it don't necessarily run at late hours. Sorry, but not everyone can snooze on the bus like you did.

• Punch yourself in the face.

• Well said Fred!

• This is RIDICULOUS! We are not going to stimulate the economy by sitting on our asses, decorating Christmas trees and eating like pigs. Seriously people, for some reason dinner on thanksgiving is at 2PM! I don't know why, but it is. We all know that by six every one is done and either going to bed to work on the NEXT BUSINESS day or at a bar. Saving Thanksgiving? please, retail workers, like the star tribune says, need to stop complaining and be grateful they have a job! All in all, I agree with a lot of these posters, she should've/could've taken a nap before work. Geez it's not like they made her work thanks giving DAY!  and like one said a couple posts back, what about nurses, doctors and all the people that work OVER 12 HOURS on a holiday DAY. I rather spend time with my family than get double the pay, but as a nurse and having worked AT TARGET ON THANKS GIVING NIGHT a couple years ago I say... somebody has to do it! oh and shame on you, city pages for vilifying the star tribune!

• MAYBE OBAMA was Right when he said American's ARE LAZY...... thats all Im gonna Say!

• I can tell by the virulence and number of conservatives swarming this thread -- then again, it could just be the same two guys putting on new online identities like sock puppets over and over again -- that it's hitting them right where it hurts, the poor things.

• You've obviously never met a flight attendant, haha! We DO all complain, but it comes with the territory I suppose.

• Nice journalism...did you actually READ the news article or did you read the headline from another editorial? No where in the article did it say WHY she drove into the water.  How do we know she wasn't texting?  Changing the radio station?  She never once says that she was so tired from working that she drove into the water...damn guys...at least pretend to be responsible. So let's say that she actually did fall asleep.  Do we know how much sleep she had before she went to work?  Do we know if she was on medication?   How many people worked Friday/Night Saturday morning at Target across the US?  Somewhere around a bajillion I would think.  By your logic, there should be 20 or so of these extremely wet car stories all over the nation. Here is what the story said.   A woman drove her car into the water. She works at Target. A brave deputy saved her. What you report the story said: Target tries to kill little old woman and sheriff.

• Find another job. S I M P L E No one made them work at target.

• She should be thankful she has a job...MN laid off 7500 people last month. In this particular instance, the STRIB does not lie.

• Yes, we CAN blame ButWizer for DWI's! and your conception!

• I fucking hate Target Corp. Red Commy A$$holes! Their logo says it all!

• What kind of cocksucker coward writes something like that editorial and doesn't put a name to it?

• I actually worked for Walgreens and the third shift people were used to working those hours. They didn't come in at 7am 51 weeks out of the year and midnight one day a year. So it doesn't hold up does it.

• No genius, they can chose to do without little luxuries like food and indoor sleeping accommodations.

• Exactly. This article was clearly framed in a way to inspire maximum anti-corporate ranting, and it's getting results. The huge holiday retail spike is a large part of how Target is able to exist and employ these people in the first place, and they're going to complain about having to help their company succeed at the most important time of the year? I once drove from New Orleans to the Florida panhandle and back to New Orleans to catch a flight over the course of one night because my employer needed a job done.

• Because of these strawmen created by Alex Utne, I now see the light.  Moron.

• Try working in agriculture, you Target sissies.

• Slaves were kidnapped from their home country, put on unsafe ships, carried across the ocean, forced to work against their will, whipped, beaten, bought, sold, torn away from their families, etc, etc.  People who work at Target punch a clock and put some stuff on a shelf and get a check.  Small difference.

• Last I checked, cops, pilots and emergency workers were all in Unions. Maybe Target employees should look into joining one. Seems like if 181,000 employees can sign a petition, they could also collectively walk out and shut down the store on Thanksgiving, too. You have no sympathy for some poor exhausted person who drove into a canal and nearly died? Really? I mean, put your ideology aside for a minute and try to have some basic human compassion. 

• They are not obligated to work either dip shit.

• What is Syria?   Is that like a new store in the mall or something?   Why don't you cool it with the America bashing bud?    Are you forgetting how America saved your ass in World War 2 against the French?   If it wasn't for my grandpa your ass would be speaking french, smoking clove cigarettes and wearing a beret like an asshole!  

• LOL Shelle.   for real though you and becky are closed minded.   I know this.... If your a pilot, you dont complain, you get a good salary, May not be the best to you, same goes with your firefighter "hubby" Shelle,   But think of the ppl who work there asses off 60 hrs a week at min wage, after all bills an that are done and paid for, you hardly have enough to do another week of work (And they havent even shopped for food cause they gotta putit with next rounds of bills.) you ppl dont need to have sympathy for these ppl, But for god sakes respect the less fortunate.

• And they still get paid more.  Hey Becky you could go be a big corporate slave owner the way you talking.   Becky, NO sympathy or not, take into concideration (spell check i know dont care right now.)  That those ppl that work those jobs, Are doing  ALOT more for less  (Not saying pilots cops etc should be paid or treated differently.)  I work my ass off.  sometimes on a 48 hour day. 3 jobs.   and i Cant nap inbetween.   I am happy to have my jobs, And i will complain like others do.  ITS CAUSE OF HOW WE ARE TREATED.   You know how we treated?????   All i say is dont be so closed minded, they are ppl in alot worse shoes then even me. Cheers 

• No you cant, they are not obligated to drink, let alone drive.  jeez really?  Wrong logic here dude. I work retail, and have worked for big corporate companys, Greg up there isnt far off.

• Well, that's the point. This person didn't sign up to work in a 24/7 job.  She didn't sign up to work these hours, but Target decided that she would have to that day. I don't really blame Target for the accident, but the point is that she never signed up to work those hours, but Target changed the deal unexpectedly.

• This such a poorly written article.  And I find it amusing how Citypages just couldn't resist throwing a shade at the Star Trib. 

• please tell that to employees of 24 hours stores, like Walgreens or Kowalskis. 

• I'm a wealthy industrialist looking to create a new useless item idiots will buy. Is "shiny" or "blue" more appealing to you?

• Ugh.  A bad Strib editorial followed by a bad CP aricle about the Strib editoria followed by a bunch of bad comments about the bad CP article about the bad Strib editorial. Kinda early for the Minnesota Winter Crazies, isn't it? 

• My co-workers sister was so exhausted she fainted on an escalator and hit her head so badly she had to under go brain surgery. All so someone could get a deal on a tv

• Why can't you argue your point like an adult and stop name calling?

• the great bear in the east is no longer sleeping.wake up you will be in bread lines soon.

• there,i'm so pissed at you ignorant americans i cant type.

• did you know the russian navy is sending ships to syria,or do u just pay attention to ur consumer world.way bigger issues out their people

• "Isn't all employment at will?" Uh no. Are you serious? Do you not understand how contract employment works? A large portion of Americans are not employed at-will. I welcome your husband to try and leave the military in the same manner you've just suggested for non-contract employees, "I quit." but I digress. I do not give a shit if and when he complains, he chose positions in which an expressed expectation exists that his hours may include shifts and hours that can vary wildly. He is also compensated in a manner consistent with those expectations and his education. I agree, consuming is sickening, and while watching it overcome fools is entertaining, watching it overcome workers is not. The real world does not require most of us to suddenly work 12 hour overnight shifts (suddenly being a month of notice let's say). To think it does is to fundamentally misunderstand how corporate stewardship and responsibility work.

• Thank you Kevin Hoffman and looney tune bloggers for making my afternoon. You all make Bachwoman look smart. Your stupidity is what "the greedy corporations" get rich on. Now to come up with a useless item to get you idiots to buy...

• For those people pointing out that fire/PD/EMT work every holiday - yes, they do.  And we all know that fires, crimes, and medical emergencies can't be told to 'wait until normal business hours.' I commend our first responders - who put their lives on the line EVERY DAY (and not just on Black Friday in front of a seething mob), but you have to admit, this year's hottest X-Box game is quite content to stay on the shelf until the store chooses to open its doors.  You can't say the same about Aunt Edith's myocardial infarction.

• It's not part of the job- Night Shift/Back room workers work those "over-night" shifts- not cashiers or sales floor people... they work morning shifts, or late shifts- typically work until 11:00 at the latest and start at 7:00 am the earliest. Maybe she should have took a nap. But lets remember that these people stand on their feet all during their 7-9 hour shift. You are lucky to get your scheduled breaks since it is so busy, with no time to sit, or breath!  I can understand her being tired. I use to work at Target Part Time I feel for her. And I do not think this is Target;s fault. She needs to take responsibility for her own actions.... but I'm sure this all contributed to her accident. I do NOT think that stores should or need to open at midnight, etc. the same people (Black Friday) shoppers will be at the stores at 4-5am (the classic Black Friday opening times) that will be shopping at 12am, so whats the difference?!?! IMHO

• And I never said he/we complained of shitty pay - those are your words.

• We're going round robin here - read further down: it's all "at will" and we're not complaining about the pay, we're explaining how the real world works.

• You know, it's not a very good argument to say "Yeah, well I get shitty pay and have to work shitty hours and don't complain." Maybe you should complain. I think the point is that no one should have to work shitty hours for shitty pay...

• Whatever happened to personal responsibility?  Why should it be Target's fault that an employee had a car accident on their personal time? If you don't want to work crazy hours, don't work in retail during their peak season and don't work in the 24/7 service industry.   There are a lot of people who would be happy to work those jobs and work those hours. I did because those were excellent hours to work while putting myself through college.

• " She could have gotten a cup of coffee or an energy drink to help her stay alert." This message brought to you by the makers of 5 Hour Energy -- responsible for just 60% of adrenal system failure in the country

• Isn't all employment at will? It just depends on how you want to look at it, glass half full or glass half empty. Yep, proud to post that bullshit for you. My husband chose to be an EMT, Fire Fighter and is enlisted in the service - all at will. He doesn't complain at 1 a m when he has to save a person having a heart attack or save another persons house from burning down. Those aren't scheduled, he could be sleeping in bed but "at will" he chooses to work. He's not paid minimum wage, but less because it's not hourly pay to begin with when your paid per call. But when ignorant people don't understand and they want to lip off that their peers are consumed by the Black Friday craze (and no I didn't participate in the shopping) people are quick to slam a one day event and not considered how the real world works. Get over it.

• I fully agree:  It's your peers that are to blame here.  We as a society are endorsing this kind of corporate edict because we're the idiots willing to cut our OWN Thanksgiving holidays short to do what? Save some some money on a flat panel TV or get a cheap DVD?  The real disgusting beast in this story is you and me.  Wake up America, we're becoming everything we were created to stand up against, bit by bit.   NO ONE'S LIFE is worth a cheap price on a TV.

• HEY! The at-will employment gambit! I was wondering when we'd get to see this line of bullshit. Cheers to Shelle the shill!

• " She could have gotten a cup of coffee or an energy drink to help her stay alert." What the fuck? You have clearly never been exhausted in your life. There is no amount of coffee that keeps your eyes open...you blithering idiot.

• Bullshit. Have you never been on a flight?

• For the same reason you're so darned closed minded :)

• Why are you such a right-wing tool?

• The Star Tribune featured a live on-line chat with editor Doug Tice, and I had to forcibly restrain myself from logging in to it because the only thing I could possibly have done was posted "Why are you such a right-wing tool?" over and over again.

• Corporate is not the only one to blame, your peers were out shopping at the same time. When you get your schedule in advanced (weren't they complaining well OVER a week ago?) then you should have time to prepare. EMT's and Fire Fighters and our boys serving overseas do not have this luxury and they all chose these jobs and work the hours given to them to make ends meet. You have the freedom to quit and look else where if you don't agree, unfortunately the jobs are sparse and you get what you get (or lack there of).

• We're gonna blame Target for some woman crashing her car? What ever happened to personal responsibility? She could have gotten a cup of coffee or an energy drink to help her stay alert. She could have pulled over when she felt herself starting to nod off. She could have asked a coworker to give her a lift home. But she didn't do any of those things and she put herself and every other driver on the road at risk that day.

• This article is SO poorly written, it's not really even worth commenting about, but since lots of people will be using it as an excuse to trash Target, I'll take a minute to offer some common sense in rebuttal. Shift work is tough, no doubt about it, but the fact is, it is not Target's responsibility that this woman drove when she was incapacitated.  I haven't been to Florida in a while, but I'm pretty sure they have public transit there.  Many years when I worked two jobs on a regular basis, I was thankful to be able to take the bus home and snooze on the way.  If you know you're not used to staying up late, take precautions!  Drive to the "park and ride" if the local bus doesn't stop nearby.  Take responsibility for your own safety, as well as the others on the road with you.  And, Mr. Hoffman, I wish for Santa to enrole you in a journalism class...hopefully before you inflict another biased, inflammatory article such as this one on CP readers.  Sheesh!

• People need to shut the hell up about all this!!  Boo whoo you had to work on thanksgiving, i dont feel sorry for anyone!  im in the service industry and have to work holidays, late nights and weekends.  Get over it!!

• hahaha "Becky Should Wake Up" uh NO they don't make more - and Target employees don't make min wage. Knowing fulling in advanced you have a shift at that particular time should allow for one to plan ahead. My EMT/Fire Fighter hubby does not have that luxury AND he's paid a minimum amount for a call - not hourly. Pull your head out of your ass and be thankful for what you have.

• I guess the Strib just guaranteed a fat new advertising contract with Target. 

• I once got switched from 1st to 3rd shift. Then I got put on 12 hr shifts. Then I got put on alternating 12s so I would work monday morning, wednesday night, friday and saturday morning. Each week was different and all were completely messed up. That's what happens when you work a job with no qualifications. So what did I do? Whine and complain, saying my life is someone else's fault? No, I quit my job and went to school. This woman was in a tragic accident, yes, but the rest of you whiners need to take control of your own lives.

• I am explaining this again: like the other commenter said, salaried jobs aren't comparable to retail jobs. Furthermore, longer shifts are a known part of the job description. Target stores aren't open overnight anywhere else, so these workers were forced to work hours they never had to be available for, on the night of a holiday.

• The flight attendants don't complain.

• I guarantee that your hubby the pilot, the ER worker, cop, docs ETC, all get paid A LOT more then people at Target. They get paid minimum wage to work shit hours while CEOs are sleeping in their enormous beds dreaming up ways to get richer. Sounds pretty fair to me!

• If you're not a regular third-shift worker, then "taking a nap" is a) hard to do, and b) doesn't really compensate when fighting your body's established rhythms.  Not to mention how exhausting it has to be to deal with overentitled and short-tempered consumers.  But, you know, shut up you minimum-wage whiners.  Everyone is replaceable.  Happy Holidays.

• Married to an airline pilot, I have NO sympathy. It is part of the job. Do you think emergency workers, ER docs, police officers, etc., complain?  It is part of life. You adapt, work around it, and yes, maybe take a nap before you go to work. 

• Maybe she could have taken a nap before her shift? Using CP logic here, we can blame Budweiser for all recent DWI deaths and car accidents.

• There is your corporate warm-heartedness,,,,they think they are slave owners !!

TotalComments: 77