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Arena Magazine 2006 Issue 1 January February |
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Sunday hours – leave well alone
More than 90 per cent of shopworkers have rejected any extension to Sunday trading hours, a specially commissioned Usdaw survey has shown. The survey, of more than 500 shopworkers, coincides with the announcement that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched a consultation on the present rules that allow big stores to open for six hours on a Sunday.
"This survey also backs up our independent survey of shoppers that found 64 per cent didn't want any more Sunday shopping hours," said general secretary John Hannett. A clear majority understand the negative impact on staff and local community. The UK retail sector is the most deregulated retail market in Europe with consumers having 150 hours a week to shop.
"We will tell the DTI that a staggering 62 per cent of those surveyed come under pressure to work on Sundays and only 11 per cent had the confidence to use their legal right to opt out of Sunday working.
"We have been delighted with the level of support in Parliament from all parties with, at the last count, 161 MPs signing an early day motion which opposes more Sunday trading.
"Even the major retailers can't agree if they want longer hours, some say they do and some say they don't.
"So the retailers are confused, the public don't want it and the vast majority of our members oppose it. So our evidence to the DTI, based on fact not emotion, will be that the present set-up works."
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