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Shopworkers do not want longer Sunday trading hours
Usdaw general secretary PADDY LILLIS explains there is no benefit to keeping shops open longer on Sundays for the employers or the customers — and doing so would be a massive blow to workers' pay and conditions
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REPORTS that the government is yet again looking at deregulating Sunday trading were met with dismay and disbelief by our members who are on the front line of delivering essential services during the Covid-19 emergency.
The government claims it will help the country out of recession, but that is wrong, misguided and a slap in the face for key workers. Shops can already open for 150 hours week, adding a few more hours will not make difference, but could be very damaging to shopworkers’ lives, our communities and the retail sector.
Usdaw members have worked throughout this crisis keeping the supermarket shelves stocked. This move to deregulate Sunday trading hours seems an opportunistic use of the coronavirus crisis. I would hope that the government would instead spend its time exploring how we can ensure that these low-paid key workers can get the level of pay and job security they deserve.
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