Usdaw members say extending Sunday shopping hours will have a catastrophic impact on their family lives

Save our Sundays

Retail union Usdaw says a survey of Britain’s shopworkers found 94% are opposed to extending shopping hours on Sundays for large stores as they say it will have a catastrophic impact on their family lives.

The union was responding to a new survey that claims some shoppers want to shop when and where they want without fully considering the negative impact on the work/life balance for Britain’s 2.7 million retail staff.

“When we asked our members if they wanted longer hours on Sundays we got a resounding no to that question," said Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett. “Our survey found that 80% of our members already work on Sundays with half of them saying they felt under pressure to work longer on Sundays despite a legal right to say no.

“They told us that Sunday is the one day in the most deregulated shopping culture in Europe where they have a fighting chance of spending quality time with their loved ones and extending opening hours would be catastrophic for their home lives.

“Supporters of extending shopping hours have made the ridiculous claim that shopworkers want longer hours, but all the evidence completely refutes that baseless claim. Usdaw members working on the frontline know it will mean they will spend less time with families as they come under increasing pressure to work longer on Sundays.

“Ultimately this is a political decision because MPs recognise that Sunday is a special day for families and they understand that achieving a proper work/life balance should be a right for millions of shopworkers as it is for those who don’t work at weekends.

“We are grateful for the support of 287 MPs who have signed an Early Day Motion opposing longer hours and with the support of more than 30 ministers that means virtually half of Britain’s MPs from all parties are now opposed to longer Sunday shopping hours.”

Notes to Editors:

• To find out if your local MP has signed EDM 1085 go to http://edmi.parliament.uk/edmi/
• 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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