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AIBU?

That people don't seem bothered by the SNP blocking Sunday trading

125 replies

Twooter · 10/03/2016 07:09

When we have it here in Scotland ( and always get caught out by the restricted hours when we go to England.

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Mistigri · 10/03/2016 07:14

They said they did it because in England there would be no right for a pay supplement for working Sundays, unlike in Scotland.

If that's true it seems reasonable to me.

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Katenka · 10/03/2016 07:14

I am quite happy with Sunday opening hours. So not that fussed about why it was blocked, never looked into it or why it didn't go ahead.

Does seem weird that the SNP blocked it, if Scotland already has longer trading hours.

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RoseDeWittBukater · 10/03/2016 07:19

Er no. As a retail family we're nothing but grateful! Do you want to work extra long hours every Sunday for no extra pay?
Thought not.

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LittleBlackTrilby · 10/03/2016 07:20

I don't know anyone who has been paid more for working Sundays, and I've had at least a dozen retail and bar jobs in Scotland.

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littledrummergirl · 10/03/2016 07:20

As an ex retail worker I am really pleased for former colleagues that it has been blocked.

In my opinion they should close as much as possible on Sundays to give families one day a week to meet up without at least one person missing due to work.

Family time is more important than shopping and profit levels in my opinion.

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scarednoob · 10/03/2016 07:23

Regardless of the merits or otherwise of blocking it, it flies in the face of "we won't vote on matters south of the border" as the excuse that it could filter up and affect Scotland seems like just that. Tip of the iceberg and makes them look like just another bunch of lying politicians.

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megletthesecond · 10/03/2016 07:26

What littledrummer said, family time is more important than profits.

Sunday retail work isn't great, no extra pay and for those who don't drive there's lots of waiting for the few buses running or spending £££ on getting a taxi in. I don't shop on Sundays anymore.

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feellikeahugefailure · 10/03/2016 07:28

I'm furious. They shouldn't be allowed to vote in English only matters.

Will just mean more retail units close down as they cant compete with online.

Even if the shops arent open, still alot of staff will need to work anyway.

Horrible bullying party that have to tow the party line and arent allowed to disobey the party.

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StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 10/03/2016 07:29

I never had a pay supplement for working Sundays in Scotland. I got time and a half for most public holidays and double time on New Year's Day, but Sunday's were just normal.

I think the SNP are being a bit disingenuous to say the least.

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toolonglurking · 10/03/2016 07:34

Everything the SNP do bothers me.

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glenthebattleostrich · 10/03/2016 07:34

Whilst I don't agree with extending Sunday opening, it infuriates me that Scottish politicians can vote on English / Welsh matters. It shows up the hypocrisy of the current system and highlights the need for an English assembly.

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Alisvolatpropiis · 10/03/2016 07:36

Though not generally a fan of the SNP, I agree with what they did in this instance.

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Katenka · 10/03/2016 07:38

Fil works for morrisons he gets double time on a Sunday. He does 12 hours, most of it in the back and gets 24 hours pay. He loves it

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Twooter · 10/03/2016 07:38

If they did for increased family time, you'd think they'd do it for Scotland too.

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scarednoob · 10/03/2016 07:40

The death of the high street is a big worry for me. I appreciate that retail workers need the day off, but the sad truth is that physical shops are closing all the time, which isn't good for communities for many reasons. There will be worse repercussions for the workers' families when the shops shut altogether - it shouldn't be that way, but it is going that way.

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PeggyBlomquist · 10/03/2016 07:42

'Will just mean more retail units close down as they cant compete with online'.

That wouldn't be changed by longer Sunday opening. The infrastructure around the towns has to change with it to give retail a fighting chance. The bus to my local town runs once an hour on a Sunday. The bus company needs it's profits too so they wouldn't be adding services until the need is proven and without that there is no need for it. Only big supermarkets and retail parks could really benefit as they are reliant on people driving in not using public transport.

'Even if the shops arent open, still alot of staff will need to work anyway.'

Except, again that is true of big business. I used to single man Sundays because even having one extra for two hours for a break would have wiped the profits. That was for a company with 350 stores nationwide. The shops either side were doing it too.
You can want the longer hours ( God knows I'd like to buy gin at 8pm on a Sunday ) but the cost of manning those hours is massive . Just add one hour and all the legal breaks change and companies cannot get away with single manning and the profits for that size company don't outstrip payroll.

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PageStillNotFound404 · 10/03/2016 07:44

I think the fact the issue is one a lot of people can get behind (keep Sunday special / existing hours are sufficient / online is an alternative etc) has distracted from what was a pretty shitty piece of gameplaying by the SNP.

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sleeponeday · 10/03/2016 07:48

There used to be extra pay for working unsocial hours, including weekends, in the retail trade. Overtime also paid at a higher rate. Major firms brought in deals whereby staff could agree to sign those rights away in exchange for a lump sum of a few hundred quid, and then those hours were as far as possible only given to staff who agreed to that or new starters whose contracts paid no extra time rates. Which meant other staff lost out on the overtime, so joined too. So huge numbers of people now have worse pay and conditions than they did a decade ago, and it's just accepted and seen as How Things Are, along with fake "apprenticeships" (in the retail trade? Because working a till requires months of training at a lower rate of pay?) and 0 hour contracts. All extended hours would mean is bullying staff to never have time with their own families.

If we still had effective unions, then this sort of thing wouldn't be a problem. Staff could still be paid time and a half or double time for working unsocial hours, so plenty who are single or childless or with older kids would be quite happy to do it. But we don't, so it is. And in this context I'm glad they refused to extend those hours, because the truth is, staff would be given no choice at all in whether to work the hours, not in reality.

I also don't think the online argument holds up, because people choose to shop online for price reasons as much as anything else. It's not necessarily more convenient to get something online when it won't be with you for a week, but it's usually considerably cheaper. And Sunday trading won't change that.

The Entertainer don't open on Sundays because the owner is a Christian and says that staff should have their day of rest with their families. I admire that. And it doesn't seem to be trashing their business, either, does it?

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Andrewofgg · 10/03/2016 07:49

EVEL has failed here. This question is devolved to Scotland and NI but not to Wales; so only the English and Welsh Members should have a vote on it. Minor side effects should be disregarded. It's not rocket science.

Still, it's good news for the online retailers!

This will be back, and next time the absurd restrictions in E/W will be dropped altogether.

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iwantbrewstersmillions · 10/03/2016 07:50

I'm so angry about it. So is family time in Scotland already ruined then?

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sleeponeday · 10/03/2016 07:52

I think the fact the issue is one a lot of people can get behind (keep Sunday special / existing hours are sufficient / online is an alternative etc) has distracted from what was a pretty shitty piece of gameplaying by the SNP.

They're politicians. They play games and they bullshit. That's what they do. I really don't comprehend why particular snafu is worth getting tizzied about, especially not when we have a Secretary of State for Health openly lying to the public on facts about the health service as a means to force through a contract for doctors. Sunday trading is at least a worthwhile result.

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lostincumbria · 10/03/2016 07:54

I don't buy the shops v internet argument - if B&Q shuts at 4pm on a Sunday the next earliest I can get tge product us 7am when they re-open, not when the online retailer can get it to me.

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aprilanne · 10/03/2016 07:58

i am scottish not an snp supporter god no .if things only concern england then no scottish mps should not be allowed a vote .i am with cameron on that matter .

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booksandchoc · 10/03/2016 08:00

I work for a large retailer and until recently got paid time and a half for Sunday's. Our pay structure is changing at the moment and it's being removed. I work every Sunday so it will be nice to have time off with my family for a change of this does go through but at the same time I'm a full time student and can only work the weekends, so I'd rather it stayed as is

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PageStillNotFound404 · 10/03/2016 08:00

Oh well, that's all right sleeponeday. "It's not as bad as some other stuff so let's not bother calling them out over it."

That's like the argument that says you can't care about gendered clothes and toys for children because girls on the African continent are still suffering FGM.

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