Target Employee's Black Friday Protest Gains Momentum

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Target (TGT) employees are protesting the discount giant's move to open its doors at midnight on Black Friday.

Irate Target employees took to the Internet, garnering backing from more than 86,000 people who believe the company should reverse its decision.

The online campaign was launched by Anthony Hardwick, a Target employee in Omaha, Neb. A midnight opening would mean Target employees would need to be at work by no later than 11 p.m.

"A full holiday with family is not just for the elite of this nation -- all Americans should be able to break bread with loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving!" Hardwick said in the statement. "Join me in calling for Target retail stores to push back their original opening time of 5 a.m. on Black Friday."

"Black Friday is one of the busiest and most competitive shopping days of the year. We have heard from our guests that they want to shop Target following their Thanksgiving celebrations rather than only having the option of getting up in the middle of the night," said Molly Snyder, spokesperson for Target. "By opening at midnight, we are making it easier than ever to deliver on our guests wants and needs."

In regards to Hardwick starting the petition Snyder said: "The team member you are referencing is not now, and has never been, scheduled to work on Thanksgiving or Black Friday at Target. Our understanding is that this team member also works full-time for another retailer. In early November, he informed his Target managers that he was scheduled to work at his other job on Black Friday and indicated that he needed the day off from Target. We honored that request. Target does our best to work around the schedules of all of our team members, making every effort to accommodate their requests. Target will offer holiday pay to all hourly team members who work on Thanksgiving Day."

Target, along with Macy's(M), Best Buy (BBY) and Kohl's, will open at midnight the day after Thanksgiving to capture early holiday shoppers. Wal-Mart(WMT), Gap(GPS) and Toys 'R' Us have gone one further, planning to open Thanksgiving night.

Do you think Target should reverse its decision? Leave your comments below.

-Reported by Jeanine Poggi in New York.

Follow TheStreet.com on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

>To order reprints of this article, click here: Reprints