Pizza Hut GM says he was fired for refusing to force employees to work on Thanksgiving
The corporate trend of more and more chain stores and restaurants opening on holidays soldiers on but one Pizza Hut GM from Elkhart, Indiana decided he wasn’t gonna take it anymore and as a result he claims he got canned.
Tony Rohr was employed at an area Pizza Hut for ten years, starting off as a cook, and worked his way up to become that franchise’s general manager. Massive franchisee, Franchise Management Investors US, made the decision that it was going to open its doors this year on Thanksgiving and Rohr was vehemently opposed to the decision. Rohr told WSBT that his store had been closed on the holiday previously.
“Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days that they’re closed in the whole year and they’re the only two days that those people are guaranteed to have off and spend it with their families. I said why can’t we be the company that stands up and says we care about our employees and they can have the day off.”
When Rohr was informed that he had to either open the store as he was told or sign a letter of resignation, he went with another option. Tony wrote a letter to his superiors in protest:
“I am not quitting. I do not resign however I accept that the refusal to comply with this greedy, immoral request means the end of my tenure with this company. I hope you realize that it’s the people at the bottom of the totem pole that make your life possible.”
When WSBT reached out to the franchise’s director of operations he argued that Rohr quit his job and that the decision to open on Thanksgivinggetting came from corporate as a response to competitors and other companies doing the same.
The report fueled a “which side are you on” debate among viewers with those who applauded Rohr’s stand and those who felt like he was being insubordinate and should have done what he was told because that’s the job. Some examples…
Dixie Adams: I don’t blame him, who is going to eat pizza on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone should be at home eating turkey with their families. God Bless him for standing up for his beliefs and for his employees.
Warren Zinn: It’s really quite simple. If you accept a management position, especially in retail or the restaurant business, you agree to perform a job according to company or franchise policy. You can disagree, carefully, but you never refuse to follow procedures. So he made brownie points with the employees. Hope he can eat those brownie points.
Andrea Holst: I love how people say “be grateful you have a job…” people who have jobs have families too! Retail and restaurants should not be open. Or if they do open late!!!! Not all day. What has happened to the sanctity of our values? Of family comes first?
Jonny Kirsits: Tough luck dude. There are plenty of jobs, including mine, that have to work holidays. If you cant do the work someone else will. Suck it up.
What do you think of Tony Rohr’s stance?
