Union rallies shopworkers over Christmas Day opening
Usdaw urges retail staff to lobby MPs
UK shopworkers’ union Usdaw is encouraging retail employees to lobby their MPs ahead of a key vote on Christmas Day opening.
While very few major UK retailers currently open stores on December 25, next month a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Kevan Jones MP will seek to ensure that future competitive pressures do not tempt more into doing so.
The Christmas Day (Trading) Bill, backed by Usdaw, would prevent stores bigger than 280 sq m from opening on Christmas Day. At present, such stores are only legally banned from opening if December 25 falls on a Sunday.
Usdaw is encouraging shopworkers to write to their MP, requesting they attend the House of Commons on June 18 and vote in favour of the bill at its third reading. It would then progress to the House of Lords for further discussion and should become law before Christmas 2004.
John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “Although few big stores have opened on Christmas Day in the past, the fiercely-competitive nature of the retail sector dictates that it would only take one big store to break ranks and the floodgates would open.
“Unless we act now, widespread trading on Christmas Day is a real possibility and our members are convinced they would be forced to work. We need to lock the stable door before the horse bolts.
“Christmas Day is a time for our members to spend at home with their families, not to spend at work. They assist in providing an important year-round service – in many cases working on shifts in stores that open 24-hours a day, seven days a week – but they are not providing an emergency ‘life or death’ service.
“There is no reason to suggest that anyone suffers if bigger shops close for one day – but shopworkers and their families would benefit considerably.”
