Shop workers prefer Sundays off

More than 90% of shopworkers have rejected any extension to Sunday trading hours as the Department of Trade and Industry launches a consultation on this issue. The survey of over 500 shopworkers by retail union Usdaw found that 92% of shopworkers reject any relaxation of the present rules that allow big stores to open for six hours on a Sunday.

"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. "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."