Why are supermarkets allowed to open all day on Sunday now?

[Denise34]

Just been past Tesco and noticed that they are now open from 6am to midnight on sundays! Has there been a change in the law?

They don't have to be students. What about those who are single, in their 20's who have lost their job? Or, even in a relationship but no children. Then you have those who now have grown up children and want something to bring some extra cash in and for something to do. And also those who have families nearby or good friends, so have no issues with childcare.

A whole load of people could benefit from shops being open for longer.

I'm in my 20s, no children, and it would still not come remotely close to paying my bills to do cover work on sundays.

I'd do it if I needed to but I'd rather no-one ended up doing it, I can't see it going any good way.

My brother has worked in retail for 16 years, back of house, night shift and in that time they have cut over time all the additional payments that they had to make to staff to get them to work Saturday and Sunday and bank holidays etc. The arguement now of course is that if you don't like it you can go elsewhere as times are hard. In real terms he earns less than he did almost ten years ago. The word amongst most workers is that the supermarkets are just using this to test the water and if viable they will get their way. Im not making a judgement either way as personally it works very well for him and his family circumstances. I just think that the workers need a little more protection as union representation in this industry is non-existant.

when I started in retail -many many moons ago

there were saturday premiums, time and a half on sundays (and you only worked 1 in 4) bank holiday premium
we were closed boxing day and new years day, and easter sunday was a day off
we also go staff discount and long service awards

let me have a little think about how many of those things still exist......

staff discount, which can't be used on sale items!

oh and bonus has gone too

same all over the place though workshy, i think the last time i got paid extra for sunday/bank holiday working was in 1989

Lst but your husband does not work 7 days a week.

He gets a break, that's what rota ate for. In my works full time workers work 7 day on 2 off 7 on 2 off 6 on 4 off. But in the calender week it is 5 days

Yes but Sunday is the only day we spend together. And he's not my husband.

germyrabbit

I appreciate that it is but a lot of customers still think we get paid extra, make comments about 'ooo I bet the extra money comes in' -err no because we don't get any extra

retail work keeps a roof over our heads but for the hours I work and the responsibility I have it is poorly paid and very unrewarding

the 'perk' of finishing work at 4.15 on a sunday is about the only bit of happiness I get lol

Its been handy Tesco being open the extra mind!

Lol @ Sunday should be a day of rest. I may ring my boss next Sunday and say I can't come to work- the sick kids can sort themselves out

Well lst you have a choice, you can either have your family day or have the money to pays the bills

mchappypants -that's actually quite a condescending statement

Yep how utterly unreasonable to want to pay your bills

retail staff had sunday trading hours changes dropped on them with less than a week's notice in many cases

if it had been any other employment sector there would have been arms up in the air, employment rights about notice to change in contract terms, consultation etc etc

because we are retail workers people say we should just suck it up and get on with it

how would you feel if you were told that your hours were changing at the drop of a hat and if you said no then you would have your overtime cut, be passed over for promotions etc because 'you weren't showing your commitment to the company'?

there is a bigger issue here than just 'wanting a family day'

So if he has to work he has to work.

Maybe it is because I joined the nhs soon after leaving school it is normal to work Sunday and I really don't see why it is a big deal

Who said working Sunday is a big deal?

I've worked sundays for the last 15 years, it's no biggy

it's the change in sunday hours at such short notice

I'm a single parent, my sunday childcare is my parents, who live a good distance away -a 4pm finish means I can collect them and feed them and still have them in bed at a decent time for school on monday morning

I'm lucky that my parents are flexible and will help but not everyone can

there are a lot of retail staff on 2 hour contracts who rely on overtime -if they say no to a shift, for whatever reason, they go to the bottom of the pile when overtime is handed out