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18th June - key date for Christmas campaign
26 May 2004
Shopworkers who fear being forced to work on Christmas Day are urging their own MPs to show support for the next stage in a campaign to ban big shops opening on this special day.
This significant proportion of the UK's workforce (one in 10 of all workers is employed in retail) want their MPs to vote in favour of a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Kevan Jones MP.
The Durham North Labour MP's Christmas Day (Trading) Bill, backed by shopworkers' trade union Usdaw, seeks to ban stores bigger than 280 square metres from opening on Christmas Day. At present, big stores are only banned from opening if 25th December is a Sunday.
Usdaw, the UK's fifth biggest union, is urging shopworkers and supporters to write to their MP, requesting they attend the House of Commons on 18th June and vote in favour of the Bill at its third reading. Kevan Jones' Bill would then progress to the House of Lords for further discussion. If all goes according to plan, the Bill should become law in time for 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."
A model letter for shopworkers and supporters to use to write to their MP is available to download at the end of this text (Word format). To find out who your MP is visit www.locata.co.uk/commons or ring the House of Commons information line on 0207 219 4272.
Notes to Editors:
• Kevan Jones' Bill applies only to England and Wales. A separate Private Member’s Bill, sponsored by Karen Whitefield MSP (Labour, Airdrie and Shotts), which seeks to ban big stores in Scotland opening on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, is before the Scottish Parliament.
• Usdaw is the UK's fifth biggest union, with over 330,000 members.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Further details about Usdaw's campaign to ban big stores opening on Christmas Day are available at our Protect Christmas Day campaign section.
• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.
Download File:
Christmas Day Trading Bill (Third Reading) Model Letter to your MP [ doc ]
Contact Details
Media and Communications Department
Ph: 0161 224 2804
Fax: 0161 248 8588
Email: communications@usdaw.org.uk
Web: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/campaigns/santa_watch/index.html
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