UK shopworkers and their union Usdaw start counting down to Christmas 2004

Over 2.6 million shopworkers start planning for Christmas 2004 in earnest this week - expecting, at long last, to get a guaranteed day off to spend at home with their families.

Wednesday 7th January sees the first reading of Labour MP Kevan Jones' Private Members' Bill, backed by leading retail trade union Usdaw, which calls for a ban on all stores larger than 3,000 square feet from opening on Christmas Day in England and Wales.

Current legislation only bans larger stores in England and Wales from opening if 25th December is a Sunday. While few of the bigger retailers have opened on Christmas Day in the past, there is growing opinion that competitive pressure will convince some to do so in the not-too-distant future.

Usdaw, the UK's fifth largest trade union with over 331,000 members, has long campaigned for legislation to stop this happening. Usdaw's members are convinced that retail companies will force them to work, as not enough people will volunteer to come in.

Sir Bill Connor, Usdaw General Secretary, said today: "Legislation is essential to keep Christmas Day special and stop larger stores opening. We are rapidly adopting a 365-days-a-year, 24-hour shopping culture in this country. We should not give up everything in the name of profits.

"Regardless of religion, Christmas Day holds special significance in the British calendar. It should be kept special, with larger stores kept shut. Usdaw fully supports Kevan Jones' Bill and looks forward to its implementation in law in time for Christmas 2004."

Kevan Jones (Labour MP for Durham North) and Usdaw have secured widespread support for the Bill. Last month, the Government signalled its intention to back the Bill when Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt called on retail companies to voluntarily close all larger stores on Christmas Day 2003, in anticipation that legislation will be in place to force them to do so in 2004.

Earlier in December, a petition signed by over a quarter of million people, calling for larger stores to close in England and Wales on Christmas Day, was handed in to 10 Downing Street by Kevan Jones, Sir Bill Connor and Usdaw President Marge Carey.

The second reading of Kevan Jones' Christmas Day (Trading) Bill is scheduled for March 2004.

Note

Kevan Jones' Bill will apply only to England and Wales. Karen Whitefield (Labour MSP for Airdrie and Shotts) has introduced a Private Members' Bill in the Scottish Parliament, calling for all larger stores to be banned from opening on Christmas Day and New Year's Day in Scotland.

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