Christmas campaign clears crucial stage in Commons

A campaign to protect shopworkers from being forced to work on Christmas Day took a big leap forward today when a Private Member's Bill cleared an important stage in the House of Commons.

The Christmas Day (Trading) Bill, introduced by Durham North Labour MP Kevan Jones, passed its Third Reading. The Bill now goes to the House of Lords and remains on course to ban large stores from opening on 25th December in England and Wales from Christmas 2004.

Today's development will be welcomed by shopworkers across England and Wales, who hold genuine fears that it is only a matter of time before some retail companies opt to open big stores for business on Christmas Day - and that staff would be forced to work on this special day.

Usdaw, the UK's biggest retail union, has waged a long campaign to protect Christmas Day and give shopworkers the guarantee that they can spend this day at home with their families. The union, which has over 330,000 members, has given its full backing to Kevan Jones' Bill.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, was present in the House of Commons today to watch the Bill pass its Third Reading. He said: "Even Scrooge gave his staff the day off. Shopworkers aren't asking for the world. They work incredibly hard all year round, but particularly so in the weeks before Christmas and then during the sales season that follows. I am grateful that the MPs have today shown they understand the demands placed on retail workers and ensured Kevan Jones' Bill continues its progress through Parliament."

As well as having the full backing of Usdaw, Kevan Jones' Bill has cross-party support. The Government signalled its approval for the Bill when Patricia Hewitt, Trade and Industry Secretary, urged retail companies to voluntarily keep their big stores closed on Christmas Day 2003, in anticipation that legislation would be in place to force closure in 2004. Over 250,000 people signed an Usdaw petition calling for a ban on Christmas Day trading in large stores.

Notes to Editors:

• Kevan Jones' Christmas Day (Trading) Bill seeks to ban stores larger than 280 square metres (about the size of a tennis court) from opening on Christmas Day in England and Wales. At present, the law only prohibits these stores from trading if Christmas Day is a Sunday. The Bill applies only to England and Wales. A Private Member's Bill seeking to ban large stores opening on Christmas Day and New Year's Day in Scotland is currently before the Scottish Parliament. While few big stores have opened on Christmas Day in past years, some retail companies have begun to "test the water" by opening a selection of stores. Usdaw fears that once one company breaks ranks and opens a large number of stores, others will follow, such is the highly-competitive nature of the retail industry.

• Further background information is available at the Protect Christmas Day campaign section.

• 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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