Ne’er Day petition launched in the Scottish Parliament

Usdaw survey finds 98% call for shops to close

Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has launched a petition on the Scottish Parliament website that calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to launch a consultation on implementing legislation already in place to ban most large shops from opening on New Year’s Day.

Sign the petition at: www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/newyearsday

The Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading Act (Scotland) Act 2007 prohibits trading in most large shops on Christmas Day and gave powers to the Scottish Government to stop the opening of those shops on New Year’s Day as well, which has never been enacted.

An extensive Usdaw survey of over 1,000 Scottish retail staff, found that:

• 98% say that stores should be shut on New Year’s Day
• Three quarters feel they spend too little time with friends and family over New Year.
• Only 4% are happy to work on New Year’s Day or 2 January.

The full survey results can be viewed at: www.usdaw.org.uk/NYDSurvey

Stewart Forrest, Usdaw’s Scottish Divisional Officer, said: “Usdaw’s survey clearly demonstrates the strength of feeling among our members, so we are calling on them, along with all shopworkers and the public, to support this petition for a decent break at New Year after the busy Christmas period.

“Retail staff work incredibly hard all year round, but it is particularly busy and stressful throughout December. So they deserve to be able to spend time with family and friends, only 4% of Scottish retail workers are happy to work on New Year’s Day.”

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “Hogmanay and New Year is a special holiday in Scotland, but this is not reflected in the experience of many retail workers.

“Under the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007, Scottish Ministers may, by statutory instrument, ban large shops from opening on New Year’s Day, subject to consultation.

“On behalf of Scotland’s retail workers, we are urging the Scottish Government to open that consultation and for MSPs to listen to shopworkers concerns about their work/life balance.”

What shopworkers say:

You’re tired from working and don’t really relax or enjoy the limited time you get with them. Then you start all over again working New Year’s Day too!!!

If, like myself, you have to work Boxing Day and New Year’s Day – it should be paid at least time and half.

As a store manager I have had to work Christmas and New Year. A lot of hard work goes into the weeks leading up. By Christmas Day you are exhausted and then back to work on Boxing Day. This year I also have to work New Year’s Eve, New Years Day and on the second.

I am not happy working till 1930 on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. By 4pm our store was fairly empty.

Finishing times on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay are creeping up later, which has a severe impact on family life for retail workers.