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Arena Magazine 2006 Issue 3 Summer Arena |
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Scottish Santas say No No No!
Shopworkers in Scotland want to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s Day with their families. Usdaw is out to help them.
Usdaw's elite Santa hit squad, joined by their trusty reindeer Rudolph, were out in force earlier this year to launch a new parliamentary bill that aims to stop big stores in Scotland opening on Xmas Day and New Year's day.
The campaign intends to go one better than Usdaw's successful action last year which saw large stores banned from opening on Christmas Day in England and Wales.
Airdrie and Shotts MSP Karen Whitefield is spearheading the drive north of the border and was joined by General Secretary John Hannett to add impetus to the campaign. "The only people working on Xmas Day should be Santa and his reindeers," said John. "Our members across Scotland have made it crystal clear that they have absolutely no wish to leave their families and go to work on Xmas Day and New Year's Day."
"This bill will make it illegal for big stores to open on two very special days in Scotland's festive calendar," said Karen. "I believe that most workers in Scotland would prefer to spend Xmas Day and New Year's Day with their families. Usdaw has a compelling case and it's clear that shopworkers across Scotland overwhelmingly support the union's view.
"If this bill is passed it will bring us into line with the rest of the UK where big stores are banned from opening on Xmas Day. I'm grateful to Usdaw because it has highlighted the negative effect on its members who are already struggling to achieve a healthy work/life balance.
"I've already got significant cross-party support for this bill so I'm confident that 2006 will be the last Xmas and New Year's Day when shopworkers will have to leave their families and go to work when the rest of us are still celebrating."
For more information visit:
www.usdaw.org.uk/getactive/resource_library/1089103575_21809.html
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