good news about the pizza hut manager who got fired

[littlewolf]

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/pizza-hut-manager-fired-after-refusing-open-thanksgiving-2D11665028?gt1=43001

After being fired for refusing to open his restaurant on Thanksgiving, a Pizza Hut manager has his job back.
Tony Rohr, who worked his way up from cook to general manager at the company, was told it was mandatory to keep his Elkhart, Ind., store open on the holiday.
"I just decided I wasn't going to agree to it," Rohr said. "All of these people the whole year had been told they were going to have the day off."
Luckily for him, Pizza Hut stepped in and "strongly recommended" that the local franchise hire him back, saying the company respects "an employee's right to not work on a holiday."

snip

Pizza Hut issued this statement Thursday morning:
As follow up to the situation in Elkhart, IN, we feel strongly that the situation involving our independent franchisee and the local store manager could and should have been avoided. We fully respect an employee's right to not work on a holiday, which is why the vast majority of Pizza Huts in America are closed on Thanksgiving. As a result, we strongly recommended that the local franchisee reinstate the store manager and they have agreed. We look forward to them welcoming Tony back to the team.


Rohr said that in his 10 years with the company, this was the first time any location had asked him to work on Thanksgiving.
Rohr said earlier that he had no regrets about pushing back.
"No, not at all," he said. "I'm glad I did that."

more at the link

[brewens]

1. What are they thinking anyway? Who eats pizza on Thanksgiving? That would have to be

the stupidest day to be open anyway. At least in my town where Pizza Hut is like number 8 or something like that. I can't imagine our guys not losing money being open.

[uppityperson]

4. What is wrong with eating pizza on Thanksgiving? Seriously. What? Is there some mandated food

for the day? I've had pizza before when visiting a family member who had no desire to cook and due to a recent death in the family was not feeling thankful.

Getting tired of this "must do this" "must eat that" on this day.

[Pale Blue Dot]

13. Fine. Cook it yourself. Let retail employees spend the day with their families too.

Sheesh.

[uppityperson]

14. Restaurants are point-of-service business, not retail.

http://www.restaurants.com/blog/are-restaurants-considered-retail-stores/#.UpgqqcSsj0s

[JBoy]

17. So, "point of service" employees don't deserve Thanksgiving off? n/t

[uppityperson]

42. Where did I say or imply that?

"Who eats pizza on Thanksgiving?"

Many people do.

I was then correcting the false impression that restaurants are retail, as they are not.

[demwing]

49. yeah that changes EVERYTHING

said no one about your post

[uppityperson]

50. simply pointing out an inaccuracy. sorry you missed the point.

[demwing]

51. I see "the" point

I just don't agree with "your" point

[uppityperson]

52. You do not agree with my point? Huh. That is too bad.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4109602
Oh, I agree that workers are treated like shit and that if you were told you get time off, you should.

You also do not agree with recognizing that restaurants are not retail? Oh.

[KansDem]

34. Anchovies and jalapeno peppers for me!

That's what I want for Thanksgiving dinner and I'd cook it myself!

But my family thinks otherwise...

But really, so many families watch "The Big Game" you'd think it would be more fun to do so over a pizza than a spread of food.

[obama2terms]

16. Geez calm down

The guy didn't say it was a bad thing he just said it was a bad day to be open for business, which it is! Because most people don't eat pizza on Thanksgiving, it's not meant to be mean, it's just a fact!

[uppityperson]

43. I have stayed out of GD mostly this last week due to the arguments about the High Holiday of Thanksg

but this one finally got me. "Who eats pizza on Thanksgiving?" Well, I do and lots of people do. There are many things people eat.

Of course workers get shit, paid crap, etc, and that is wrong. Simply reacting to "Who eats pizza on Thanksgiving".

[etherealtruth]

21. The employees had been told they would have the day off (in the year preceeding the decision)

Nobody is "dissing" the consumer ... low paid workers were told they would have a holiday off, the franchisee changed their mind.

This isn't about how people choose to spend their holiday ... this is about workers (esp low paid workers0 ... that don't appear to be respected enough to have an opportunity to celebrate holidays ... even when told they would be able to.

I am not so fond of Pizza Hut pizza, but as far as I am concerned pizza is the perfect food for any occasion.

[uppityperson]

39. Oh, I agree that workers are treated like shit and that if you were told you get time off, you shoul

should.

MY point which you seem to be the only reply to understand, was to "Who eats pizza on Thanksgiving?"

[etherealtruth]

41. Laughing out loud ....

I am eating pizza as I respond (my black friday purchase)

[uppityperson]

44. My OP from yesterday. Enjoy your pizza!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024106559

[etherealtruth]

46. I recc'd your OP last night or early this morning!

[MattBaggins]

25. You think the world is supposed to cater to you

on demand?

[uppityperson]

40. wtf does that have to do with my countering "Who eats pizza on Thanksgiving"?

Try reading what I wrote again.

What is wrong with eating pizza on Thanksgiving? Seriously. What? Is there some mandated food for the day?

[TexasProgresive]

6. My kids and grandkids

They don't want to eat a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixin's. But pizza-can't keep it in the house.

[MattBaggins]

26. Make pizza yourself or buy a few frozen

Should pizza hut employees not get the day off because your kids and grandkids were never taught to eat and enjoy what was put in front of them?

[TexasProgresive]

38. Let it rest-that's what we do.

We don't care for Pizza Hut pizza anyway. It's too bad we got exposed to real pizza in the North East.

[bluedeathray]

15. We did McDonalds for Christmas

In Germany, in 1987. We were involved with games and didn't notice the day passing. It was a blast and we have the greatest memories of that one weird Christmas.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad this story ended well. And I'm definitely in favor of employees calling some shots. Especially 10 year management veterans.

[Jenoch]

29. One of the best Christmas dinners our extended family ever had

was at a McDonald's at the airport. This was long before TSA, etc. We were putting my 12 year old orphaned nephew on a plane to fly to California to spend time with his big sister. Our entire family went to the gate to see him off and that's where we all ate at McDonald's. Talk about stress free...

[heaven05]

19. money, money, money,money, money!

Glad he kept his job. No one can afford unemployment.

[DonCoquixote]

2. Translation:

"Pizza Hut issued this statement Thursday morning:
As follow up to the situation in Elkhart, IN, we feel strongly that the situation involving our independent franchisee and the local store manager could and should have been avoided. We fully respect an employee's right to not work on a holiday, which is why the vast majority of Pizza Huts in America are closed on Thanksgiving. As a result, we strongly recommended that the local franchisee reinstate the store manager and they have agreed. We look forward to them welcoming Tony back to the team. "

In other words, we are used to people being stupid sheep, and were unware that when we did this, the internet would show that we had done the pr equivalent to walking around with an unzipped fly. We are not used to people not cowering in fear whenever we threaten to destory their job, and we shall soon find some excuse to fire this guy anyway.

[littlewolf]

3. actually I think that the franchisee owner did this. not corperate.

and corp applied pressure to the franchisee owner to undo this.
the owner is in hot water with pizza hut.

[LTR]

8. Right you are

Many chain restaurants are owned by individual franchisees rather than the corporate office. The only thing they can do is apply pressure on the store owner. I'm sure Pizza Hut found out about this at the same time everyone else did, so they really can't be blamed.

[TheDebbieDee]

12. You're right. Pizza Hut prolly realized that this Franchise Owner's actions

were going to make ALL Pizza Huts look bad. So they pressured the owner to hire this manager back. Smart move!

[Jenoch]

30. I wonder how the franchise owner and his defiant manager

will be getting along in the future?

I agree with the manager by the way. It would be bad for morale at that Pizza Hut store to make them work on Thanksgiving at the last minute.

[awoke_in_2003]

47. It may take a while...

but the owner will eventually get rid of him for some stupid reason. If I were the manager, I would start looking around for options.

[Incitatus]

48. I think Pizza Hut could easily mandate that their franchises be closed on certain holidays.

They did a decent job handling this situation from a PR point. But they allow independent owners to operate under the rules they make, and apparently being open on Thanksgiving isn't prohibited.

[eridani]

5. If you contacted the company to gripe, contact them to thank them.

Followups are always a good idea--reminds companies that lots of people are paying attention.

[littlewolf]

7. that ! nt

[rhett o rick]

28. Excellent point. I do a lot of email complaints. Dont think to thank those that I appreciate.

Thanks for the reminder.

Here is a contact form. It very easy to submit tho. http://www.pizzahut.com/contactus.html

[DissidentVoice]

9. This is great

I originally come from the Elkhart/Goshen/Mishawaka/South Bend area so of course I took note of this.

Unfortunately, the problem is that Indiana is one of the most hardcore, rock-ribbed "employment-at-will" states in the country.

It was a blessing that Pizza Hut bigwigs stepped in on this one...otherwise Tony Rohr would have been SOL.

[LittleGirl]

32. me too.

have we 'met'? Grew up in SB and now live in the Tucson area.
And you are correct, IN and AZ are both 'at will' states. Glad Tony got his job back.

[DissidentVoice]

53. I don't know, have we?

I was born in Goshen, lived both there and in Elkhart, worked mostly in South Bend, served in the Air National Guard at Fort Wayne, met my wife, moved to her hometown of Brazil, Indiana (a shitehole of the worst order) and then we moved here to Michigan in '07.

I haven't been back to Indiana since '07 and have no reason to go.

[Politicalboi]

10. No pizza on Turkey day

Then make something else. Pretend we're back in the 70's and EVERYTHING is closed except 7/11.

[littlewolf]

11. I can understand being open on black friday. but on Thanksgiving? please. nt

[Enthusiast]

18. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch.....nt

[CatWoman]

20. at least your thread ended up a lot better than mine

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024104877

[etherealtruth]

22. I am really astounded by the lack of respect and concern for low wage workers

Jeeze, your thread did take a really bad turn

[CatWoman]

23. i had to put that asshole on ignore

it appears that all he wanted to do was argue and pick a fight just for the hell of it.

[etherealtruth]

24. Unfortunate

[LittleGirl]

33. I just replied to him

I hope he reads those words I wrote and has some understanding...naw, he'll never get it.

[iandhr]

27. The good thing is that people can be embarrassed into doing the right thing.

[joanbarnes]

31. Who buys pizza on Thanksgiving? Not worth heating up the ovens.

[SoCalDem]

35. He rocked the boat.. watch for them to let him go later

when the scrutiny has waned. He publicly embarrassed the franchisee & got the "store" a lot of negative attention.

He may get hired back, but one way or another, he will be gone before long.

My hope is that someone else offers him a great opportunity and he jumps ship

[littlewolf]

36. this would make a good undercover boss episode. nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

37. These companies are reporting record profits but act like the one day off will break them....

When I was in Michigan the local Dairy Queen closed for the entire winter season.

[maced666]

45. HA! GOOD for him...

Partial enslavement gets a punch back right in the nose.
nice uppercut!
Feels good to get a hit back every once in awhile.