Usdaw members lobby MSPs to keep Christmas Day and New Year’s Day special

Thousands of Usdaw members are lobbying MSPs across Scotland to back a bill that will keep Christmas Day and New Year’s Day special by banning big stores from opening on those holidays.

Members of Britain's biggest retail union have been sending specially designed postcards to their MSPs reminding them that Christmas Day and New Year's Day are traditionally a day for families to spend time together and asking them to back the bill that will come before the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday November 22nd.

"Our members in Scotland have told us in no uncertain terms that they should be with their families on Christmas and New Year's Day," says Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett. "Scotland already has the most deregulated shopping hours in Europe and our members have talked to thousands of shoppers who agree that banning big stores from opening on these two special days is something that needs to be done.

"There is very little appetite from any major retailer to open on Christmas Day, but we want to have legalisation in place that will prevent them from opening their doors so we can protect future generations of shopworkers in Scotland.

"The biggest debate around this bill is whether shops should open on New Year's Day but our members are calling on their MSPs to recognise that Hogmanay is a Scottish tradition that needs to be preserved for future generations.

"Our members tell us if big stores do open their doors on New Year's Day then their Hogmanay will be ruined as they have to scale down their family celebrations so they are properly rested for work. The same would be true for thousands of security staff, cleaners, distribution and transport workers across Scotland."

Opponents of the bill say forcing big stores to close on Christmas Day and New Year's Day would hurt Scotland's tourist industry but Usdaw's own research suggest tourists will not be deterred from visiting if the stores remain closed.

"Usdaw supports Visit Scotland's target of boosting tourist revenues by 50% by 2015 but with hotels at near capacity on Hogmanay then it is unlikely allowing big stores to open on those days will help meet that target," says John Hannett.

"Indeed, there is no evidence that tourists regard shopping as an important part of their Hogmanay experience as large stores are currently closed anyway. Our view is that retail based tourism can be increased by boosting spending on the other 363 days of totally unregulated shopping in Scotland.

"Our members want to help Scotland boost its tourism trade but not at the expense of spending quality time with their families during the festive period."

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw's Media Officer, Paul Clarke, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail paul.clarke@usdaw.org.uk.
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union, with over 340,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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