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Mitch Modell, Modell’s CEO, and Jim McCann, 1-800-Flowers founder and CEO, on the unions facilitating strikes over Black Friday this year.
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Unions are seeing red over Black Friday.
That's a traditional Black Friday morphed into Thanksgiving night shopping now more unions represented retail chain workers are.
Are planning to protest extra store or extra early store openings even billionaire George Soros coming out in support of their efforts and while some retailers are having a hard time dealing with unions Modell CEO Mitch Modell.
-- -- name problems at all he runs a union shop what 800 flowers CEO Jim McCann is here to would.
His company is non union submits let's start with you what your secret.
-- secret so it's about really our mission statement.
It's about our associates and number one.
We never look or associates of being in the union the part of a family we're family business.
And it's not adversarial what you have you know would be a -- industry -- -- order when the street it's you know we trip -- might go are wrong.
That you're nonunion.
But but you have a lot of them employees that are kind of independent if you will or not independent but we have a large number of people who -- -- -- -- service organization people handling customer inquiries.
And about 45 years ago.
We drifted into situation -- one by one -- would have to leave because I had a a disabled parent at home and children -- -- it could become the office anymore.
Some are brother Chris I again where family businesses well.
We far it will would you like to continue to work -- -- yes but I can't I have to stay at home well if you could work for home would that be good for you and one by one all the sudden we hit a tipping point.
And we offered everybody the opportunity to work for in our service organization would you prefer to working on the -- to have in the -- -- work so we have about.
18100 people now work from home -- -- not and it didn't work from -- what is.
Technology has really made that possible but it really had let's make use of it but you've got you know we got all these stores are so many of them from.
Washington up to Maine and ignored New York up Philadelphia this whole area northeast.
If -- you've got a busy busy stores you need site I walked into what are your store don't I got to see that person standing there that's gonna help me out.
Actually it's all about the customer at the end of very.
You know we've got to serve our customers is -- -- possible.
And Jeff happy associates we have a fighting chance of them but the -- expect and found it's about leadership to -- image -- case I don't Mitchell long time.
They're going to be opening up I think what midnight on Thursday night or Monday morning march towards and we -- Mitchell B had been night.
At home resting and Brooklyn store is -- -- -- -- Then that is yeah that is leadership and if you're asking some -- do something.
You should be willing to do it yourself.
Absolutely -- you know.
Both Sears and restored the field grave no point everyone scorpion donuts and it's you know again we wouldn't have opened up -- There is something about these Thanksgiving tradition people should be with the families haven't starting 12 o'clock.
You know wolf to the races -- -- and it's a re.
Taylor that it that's it gutsy move but -- -- what -- can I call.
Any time on 1800 flowers and get an order.
You know we've been 24/7 for a long time Tom and so when it first came up.
You know what happened you do what is not happening now -- sector had a conversation.
-- -- decision was we need to service our customers 24/7.
So how do we work this out.
And at that time we had all different kinds of people working -- different religions.
And those who are Jewish said hey how about we cover Christmas.
And we have -- growth and and people work it out themselves when you have a platform in a situation we can have a conversation.
It's amazing how people work things out that we know is -- said it you know the end goal is which is to serve the customer all right so so -- The and then the message communication and leadership but the same time there's got to be a union out -- -- same we what we our worked with -- -- but.
We need to get an extra something or the -- Disco I can't afford that how do you handle -- to -- Well you know what listen at the end of very -- -- said we were secure over associates when we will close to three days.
Every one of our associate integrate the -- the -- or associates were paid courses over 700000 dollars.
But you know what it was the right thing to do for associates and you know what the end of day if all my goal is we can make them feel great to make the cost and why.
Why are they union why if if you make them feel great while they just say no thank you what my -- union dues.
We did -- didn't care.
What we've been reunion now throws -- fifty years are.
Distribution center and Ross Stores and we -- correlation -- -- -- -- -- very transparent and it's one of trust and respect.
Like anything else and that's what makes -- work.
It is.
You know mich mentioned airlines if you take a look at the airlines or is it there is seems to be a lot of animosity in that industry but the one.
Airline that these union that does Gerri -- Southwest Airlines.
I -- -- their -- back to the same thing too it's great leadership.
Mitch suspension transparency.
Everybody sees what it is see you don't have those.
-- cycles where -- boom and bust.
Where okay the unions have to take a little bit of a compromise for them in the U airlines -- let's -- monies that come back and say we want all of it now there's this the mediation because there's been.
A foundation of trust built up -- so many years with southwest that you don't have the normal animosity in the relationship.
Others though there's open there's an awful lot and it's easy to do in the media business is say those unions are ruining this company and I've always contended.
The unions.
-- say would you agree to this contract to be up and -- you sign it.
You better be able to fulfill the promise as you're making to them and if -- signed a contract is too expensive shame on you.
I don't know -- but it also you -- -- the motivation of people involved.
And if the motivation is to get elected into my union role sometimes if it gets too big.
Damages -- into bigger -- too big some -- they lose contact with the real motivation talk.
Which is that everyone has to do well around the table.
The customer the company and a people who work for -- And you're gonna have you get already for is Black Friday is really.
The term always did the black it's -- probe lumber wars in the black but we're gonna have the biggest sale and -- 123 years remain.
Vis retail environment this is brutal and we've lowered our price is little -- ever before you both you both do agree job -- -- -- Jim McCann.
Thank you gentlemen both very very much -- to appreciate it.
