‘People forget their manners’: US retail workers brace for Black Friday shopping rush

Sales employees complain of understaffing, overwork and violence in frenzied run-up to Christmas season

For workers in retail, the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, marks the beginning of the busiest time of year.

Though the nature of shopping has changed in recent years, with online purchases competing more with brick and mortar sales and sales “days” lasting for weeks at a time, US retail sales between Black Friday and so-called Cyber Monday (at the end of the holiday weekend) are projected to grow 5% this year in the US, hitting a record $75bn.

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