Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “We are delighted that last night City Councillors listened to the majority of shopworkers and retailers who do not want extended Sunday trading. Usdaw remains fully committed to working with Belfast City Council and others to support and improve the retail experience in the city centre for residents and tourists.
“2019 was the worst year for the retail sector since records began. If any other industry was facing this level of upheaval, there would quite rightly be a public outcry and Government action, but that is not the case with retail. That’s why we launched our ‘Save our Shops’ campaign.
“We need to tackle the structural issues facing the high streets that are in crisis: Business rates that penalise retailers; public transport that makes it difficult for people to access their town centres, extortionate parking charges and many other issues that need to be addressed to level the playing field between online and ‘bricks-and-mortar’ retailers. Simply opening large shops for longer is not the answer and would have significant negative effects on our local communities.
“An industrial strategy for retail must be a priority and by working together we can address the growing crisis on our high streets in communities across Northern Ireland.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 400,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
Retail is the largest sector of employment in Northern Ireland with 136,000 staff – an average of 7,555 retail workers in each Northern Ireland constituency, comprising 15.4% of all employment. Usdaw has agreements with some of the biggest retailers in Northern Ireland and Belfast, with members in Tesco, Sainsbury's/Argos, Co-op, Primark, Poundland and Asda.
Usdaw’s 2020 survey of shopworkers found that:
- 91.69% of respondents thought that shops should not open longer on Sundays.
- 82.54% of respondents currently work at least some Sundays whilst over a quarter work every Sunday.
- Over two-thirds of respondents (68%) said that they have already come under pressure to work on Sundays.
- 41% of respondents have some form of caring responsibilities, either for children or sick or elderly relatives.
- 61.49% said the main impact on them and their family from working Sunday was less time with family/friends.
Usdaw’s full response to the Sundays In The City consultation: ww.usdaw.org.uk/BelfastSundayTrading2020
Usdaw’s ‘Save Our Shops’ campaign calls for an industrial strategy for retail implementing policies like:
- Review taxation, commercial rents and business rates to ensure a level playing field between ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers and online retailers, providing a new framework that supports local communities and the wider economy.
- A minimum wage of £10 per hour for all workers, secure work and investment in skills and training to provide decent pay and job security for retail workers and drive up productivity.
- Give retail workers a say over the future of retail and the introduction of new technology, with a designated inclusive body that ensures the Government recognises the crucial role retail has in the UK economy.
Usdaw’s industrial strategy for retail: www.usdaw.org.uk/retailstrategy
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
@UsdawUnion