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USDAW

More than 90 per cent of the shop workers who were consulted by UNI Commerce affiliate Usdaw were opposed to an increase of Sunday opening hours. The 500 workers were asked about their opinions in connection with a consultation that is being launched by the UK Department of Trade and Industry. Today, large stores can trade for a maximum of six hours on a Sunday.

This is not where British shop workers like to spend their Sundays, at the high streets or in shopping centres. Nine out of ten Usdaw members surveyed are opposed to expanding the present maximum Sunday opening hours.

- This is a very clear signal to Ministers that Britain's 2.7 million retail workers are utterly opposed to any extension of the present six hour limit, says Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett, who is also vice president of UNI-Europa Commerce.

- Our members are the people who will have to work the extra hours if the Government decide to change an arrangement that works perfectly well so we want to make sure they listen to their voice.

- This survey backs up our independent survey of Britain's shoppers that found 64% didn't want any more hours to shop on a Sunday. A clear majority of people understand the negative impact on shopworkers and local communities.

- Our survey also found that 56% of our members actually want to work less hours on a Sunday because this is the one day that they have a fighting chance to be at home with their families in what is already the most deregulated retail market in Europe.

- Our members want to spend more time with their families especially if they have children, which many retail staff do. When shoppers already have 150 hours a week to spend their money we think six hours on a Sunday means everyone wins, shoppers get to shop, retailers get to make money and retail workers get to see their families, says John Hannett.

John Hannett wants the government to listen carefully to Usdaw's members before extending the present Sunday opening hours. - The retailers are confused, the public don't want it and an overwhelmingly number of our members are opposed, he says.

Usdaw's survey shows that Sunday work is far from being voluntary. Of all those asked by the union, a clear majority of 62 per cent said that they have come under pressure to work on Sundays. Only 11 per cent of the workers have dared to make use of their legal right to opt out of Sunday working, the union says.

Usdaw will also be reminding the DTI consultation that 161 MPs from all parties have backed an Early Day Motion supporting shopworkers and acknowledging the negative impact on local communities if big stores open longer.

- We have been amazed at the level of support in Parliament from all parties and if a change in the present limit is presented to MPs nearly a third of them have pledged to oppose it, says John Hannett.

- They have accepted that it will have a negative impact on our members who, after all, are their constituents and we are delighted they are listening to their legitimate concerns.

- Even the major retailers themselves can't agree if they want longer hours with some saying they do and some saying no.

- So the retailers are confused, the public don't want it and an overwhelmingly number of our members are opposed. Our business case to the DTI, based on solid evidence not emotion, will be that the present arrangements work perfectly well. There is no solid support for a change that will have a negative impact on 2.7 million shopworkers and there will be no obvious benefit to the retail sector, concludes John Hannett.