Pizza Hut manager refuses to open for Thanks Giving, gets fired! Happy Thanks Giving Corporate Ameri

A Pizza Hut manager got in deep trouble for dishing it out to his superiors — telling them to shut their pie holes.
Tony Rohr, 28, says he got fired for refusing to open his restaurant in Elkhart, Ind. on Thanksgiving because he didn't want to force his employees to miss out on family time.
His bosses asked him Nov. 12 to keep the store open for the holiday but he wouldn't. The next day, they said keeping the store open was mandatory — so he called for a meeting that Thursday.
"Look we have to talk about this Thanksgiving thing. It isn't right. I'm not going to make everyone work," he said."Can't we be the company that says we care about our employees and they can have the day off?" he said.
The higher-ups deliberated for about 15 minutes and then asked him to write a resignation letter, he said.
Instead of a resignation, he wrote a letter outlining his problems with making workers come in on Thanksgiving. He said the note made clear that he wasn't quitting but was willing to risk termination to stand up for his employees.
The regional manager Chuck Kayser said that Rohr actually quit his job.
"He was not terminated," Kayser said. "FMI (a franchise operator) is a good company and people are going to go out shopping and people are going to need to eat. They get hungry when they're out shopping."

Did this guy do the right thing? What do you think?

He says he did not quit. They are saying he did.
Besides that, should people be forced to work on thanksgiving or be fired?

Happy thanks giving corporate America..

Pizza Hut man Fired for not opening store on thanks giving.

I have work tomorrow. I'm also a grown man with a family to feed. Your not ready for a leadership position if your not ready to work whenever need be. I'm always on 24/7 call. So is the military. So are offshore workers. Casino workers. The list could go on. Quit complaining and get back to work!

If you don't work a office 9 to 5 don't complain when you work holidays. Come to think of it some 9 to 5 office workers will be woeking tomorrow.

Isittruee
I have work tomorrow. I'm also a grown man with a family to feed. Your not ready for a leadership position if your not ready to work whenever need be. I'm always on 24/7 call. So is the military. So are offshore workers. Casino workers. Quit complaining and get back to work!

Pizza Hut.
Military.

Pizza Hut.

Not quite the same.

reply to post by starfoxxx


He's one of those working class heroes who says "No, I will not ask my employees, who are my friends, to have to be away from their families on this holiday. Why? Because I am not heartless, Mr. Scrooge."

Later that night the three ghosts came to see the owner of Pizza Hut, and the next morning he bought everyone some nice healthy Indian food.

When I worked in a tool factory, my section had to run 24/7/365. I always worked holidays while the entire rest of the plant was empty. Sometimes you gotta do it to keep a pay check.

LewsTherinThelamon

Isittruee
I have work tomorrow. I'm also a grown man with a family to feed. Your not ready for a leadership position if your not ready to work whenever need be. I'm always on 24/7 call. So is the military. So are offshore workers. Casino workers. Quit complaining and get back to work!

Pizza Hut.
Military.

Pizza Hut.

Not quite the same.

Its a service buisness. Not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving. Be prepared to serve them.

reply to post by LewsTherinThelamon


No, it's not the same, but Pizza Hut is in the hospitality industry, an industry which works just about every day of the year, thanksgiving included.

If you don't want to work on public holidays and thanksgiving, don't work in the hospitality industry.

Pretty simple really.

I'd rather work thanks giving at pizza hut than get pepper sprayed in the gentiles in New Mexico.

reply to post by starfoxxx



In all seriousness, there isn't enough information to know anything here, other than this guy seems to be in the wrong to me. He is the manager, not the owner. He doesn't own the margins of that company. He was hired to execute the policies of the establishment while achieving some level of operational standards.

I doubt that it went like he said. Standing up for your employees is not typically frowned upon. Typically, you are only reprimanded when you continue to dispute the directives of the executive committee(s). If you can't let it go, it is likely you are spreading poison (and exhibiting poor leadership) in the workplace. That isn't effective for the ownership or the customers.

I would think it is evidence of his character that he ran to the news with this story. That is not the most professional of moves. It is airing dirty laundry, which will only hurt his reputation in the industry and make it less likely that he will be hired in management at a competitive salary.

Aleister
reply to post by starfoxxx

 

He's one of those working class heroes who says "No, I will not ask my employees, who are my friends, to have to be away from their families on this holiday. Why? Because I am not heartless, Mr. Scrooge."

Later that night the three ghosts came to see the owner of Pizza Hut, and the next morning he bought everyone some nice healthy Indian food.

edit on 27-11-2013 by Aleister because: (no reason given)

edit on 27-11-2013 by Aleister because: (no reason given)

If your employees are your friends, you are a failed leader.

Work is not about friends. It isn't about social bonds. It is about creating a team that achieves goals. You cannot lead a team that thinks you are their friend. It is all about respect.

That said, remember that respect is simply a mixture (in the right combinations) of fear and love. If your team respects you, then they love you. Not because you let them get away with stuff, or hang out with them on the weekends. But because you make them better than they were. And you do it by being kind to them and empowering them. Love means you trust each other. That is what an employee/employer relationship is.

But that trust can be damaged easily through inappropriate actions/behaviors. This is where the fear comes in. When you love someone, you fear reprisal.

It is about respect. Not about friendship. I fired my sister once for her performance. She didn't respect me professionally, so I had to stop respecting her professionally. Me liking her had nothing to do with it.

It really is a question of context, much of which is not provided, so i don't feel all that bad for this cat. I do recall being in college and going to Jack In the Box for thanksgiving on at least two occasions because there wasn't any family around to spend the day with. Chances are he has done plenty of things to deserve the firing and just wasn't caught for them, so maybe it is just coming back around.

Of course he should have been fired. There are SO many people working on Thanksgiving. Yeah, it sucks but he and all the other employees took that job knowing full well they weren't getting the day off. I might be wrong but think Thanksgiving is actually one of the busiest days of the year for pizza joints.

I guess I'm becoming a little cynical but I also don't think of Thanksgiving as a particularly important holiday. I like it a lot, but to me it's more Halloween level.

I would be irritated if a franchisee were forced by corporate to keep the store open, though I would understand. Again, don't take the job if you're not welling to do it. Or request the day off far in advance.

I worked for a franchisee when I was a mere kitten that essentially let us choose if we wanted to work on holidays. We got payed like 3x as much, and the person working the last shift was authorized to close early if they felt like it. That was nice. I would prefer it if that's how all businesses operated on holidays, but they don't, and when you get hired they tell you that. I feel like a turkey humbug a little. Someone agree with me.

It would be nice if the franchise owner made closing time 8 PM or so. That way the business makes cash, the employees make insane tips and are also able to see loved ones gathered in one spot.

Bottom line is Pizza Hut top guys do not want to lose some part of the millions they make by closing for a day. You can bet they won't be at work but home with their families.

But the job is doing what they say for the small pay they give a manager. If your working for these jerks then this is to be expected. Welcome to hard core capitalism.

" They get hungry when they're out shopping."
Classic line that pretty much sums up the whole mentality in a nutshell(or is that 'case')

yeah its hard work lugging around those bags of snacks and soda ,best get me some pizza so i can make it home for turkey.

So what if police, the military, and doctors (often) have to work on holidays? Those jobs are essential to the functioning of society! Almost all of those types of jobs also have other onerous downsides and working conditions that no rational person would insist the general workforce ought to bare. Last time I checked, no one will die, or suffer harm, if they can't get a cheap and gross pizza two days a year.

If your reaction to this story is "Hey, I got to work on Thanksgiving, so should this fancy pants pizza guy!", and you aren't doing something "monitoring nuclear core temperature" or "fighting in Afghanistan" or "Work for yourself", congrats,

YOU'RE
THE
SUCKER!

reply to post by PLAYERONE01

I'd rather work thanks giving at pizza hut than get pepper sprayed in the gentiles in New Mexico.

So edgy. At least you're not anti semitic. I too prefer being slightly disappointed to genital torture.

I want to hear how you came to this comparison. Not even joking anymore. How did you go from working on Thanksgiving to that story about the pepper spray incident? I think it's hysterical. Not in a make fun of you way, it's just... unexpected.

“We respect an employee's decision not to work on a holiday if they so choose, which is why the vast majority of Pizza Huts in America are closed on Thanksgiving,” the company said in a statement.

Read more: www.nydailynews.com...


Pizza hut does not mention they also have the right to fire you for it..
They should put that in there.
Let people know where you really stand..
I respect the employer and employees rights.

12voltz
" They get hungry when they're out shopping."
Classic line that pretty much sums up the whole mentality in a nutshell(or is that 'case')

yeah its hard work lugging around those bags of snacks and soda ,best get me some pizza so i can make it home for turkey.

I was thinking more along the lines of how far America has slid that the sense of entitlement has crept into popular culture.

My dad viewed holidays as, "Just another day". That is a common viewpoint in my neck of the woods. Sure, we will celebrate Thanksgiving....but Ill have my laptop plugged in and Ill be working, too. On Friday ill work all day, Saturday too. Sunday night is the last night of the month, so Ill pull an all night doing inventories, then work all day monday. To make my business run.

Or I could be a candyass and demand the day off. Might as well. While I am slacking, the competition is gaining market share. That is being a responsible manager. LOL

I don't think anyone should have to work on a holiday,but that ship sailed a long time ago,when things became more important than family. Heck most people would rather shop for the family members then spend any time with them. When the cost of living out weighed you paycheck, you have to work and work hard to be able to live. So a lot of us are working on the holidays. But like this guy if you stand up for what you think is right does not mean there will not be consequences.

bigfatfurrytexan

Aleister
reply to post by starfoxxx

 

He's one of those working class heroes who says "No, I will not ask my employees, who are my friends, to have to be away from their families on this holiday. Why? Because I am not heartless, Mr. Scrooge."

Later that night the three ghosts came to see the owner of Pizza Hut, and the next morning he bought everyone some nice healthy Indian food.

edit on 27-11-2013 by Aleister because: (no reason given)

edit on 27-11-2013 by Aleister because: (no reason given)

If your employees are your friends, you are a failed leader.

Work is not about friends. It isn't about social bonds. It is about creating a team that achieves goals. You cannot lead a team that thinks you are their friend. It is all about respect.

That said, remember that respect is simply a mixture (in the right combinations) of fear and love. If your team respects you, then they love you. Not because you let them get away with stuff, or hang out with them on the weekends. But because you make them better than they were. And you do it by being kind to them and empowering them. Love means you trust each other. That is what an employee/employer relationship is.

But that trust can be damaged easily through inappropriate actions/behaviors. This is where the fear comes in. When you love someone, you fear reprisal.

It is about respect. Not about friendship. I fired my sister once for her performance. She didn't respect me professionally, so I had to stop respecting her professionally. Me liking her had nothing to do with it.

What if it was longstanding practice not to be open on Thanksgiving (it was when I worked at Domino's, and it looks like non-franchised (I.E. Directly owned by corporate) Pizza Huts are closed on thanksgiving), and the franchised owners went back on it? While everything you said about the difference between friendship and respect is well and good, a boss that isn't downwardly loyal isn't worth a sack of #.