To think it is time to extend Sunday opening hours?

[Sundayopeningplease]

It really is time for the restrictive Sunday trading hours to be lifted. The archaic laws have not kept up with modern society.

Sunday may traditionally have been a family day but there have been a lot of changes since then. People are in increasingly different family set ups. The working hours have changed for a lot of people and being able to shop on a Sunday morning would improve things greatly. It would help trade for businesses too.

Sunday is now a major shopping day and the hours need to reflect this.

I spent loads of time in Istanbul and it was fantastic for shopping. Shops open 7 days a week from early till very late.

Felt sorry for the workers though!

I think all Sunday trading should be stopped but for small convenience stores to open for a few hours. Given workers time with their families.

This gives a sense of the legislation that covers Sunday working

https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en/whatyouushouldknow/codesspractice/cop9/#:~:text=Employees%20who%20have%20a%20minimum,adequate%20notice%20to%20the%20employer.

Given that this is legally a Christian country, I really don't see that they would take away the right not to work, without a huge backlash. They haven't taken away the right to opt out of Sunday working in Scotland.

If someone didn't want to work Sunday, surely they would apply for roles that don't include sunday shifts? I've just looked at the jobs available at my most local Tescos, and out of the first 7 jobs, 3 included Sunday shifts.

Oh, and despite my username suggesting otherwise, I live in Scotland.

Sunday opening hours are annoying. We were out early for breakfast this past Sunday. Around 10:15am we decided to go for a wander around the town and the few shops we wanted to visit and buy things from were shut till 11am. Would have been lovely to “shop local”, but yet again Amazon filled the gap.

You're missing the point that employers can change working patterns when they want and it rarely is for the staff's benefit. And if they're going to change the law to allow longer Sunday trading then retail companies are going to lobby for Sunday opt out to end too due to their business needs - ie if they have to treat Sunday like every other working day then there shouldn't be a blanket ability to opt out to Sundays when there isn't an ability to unilaterally opt out of any other working day. There would be a backlash but it would be twisted by the companies to say "We'd love to open longer but we can't get the staff as they all opt out of Sunday working, it's all their fault not ours"

When I started working for my store we got a double time premium for working Sunday, night rate (time and a half) started from 10pm until 7am and we only had to work a maximum of two bank holidays a year. In less than a decade we have lost the Sunday premium, night rate now only applies between 12am and 5 am and we have to work a minimum of 3 bank holidays a year.

They have stripped those things away year after year, they're not going to lobby to keep the Sunday opt out if they're having to open longer/later.

Also just because you don't apply for certain roles/days etc doesn't mean the job won't change whilst you're there - once you're employed by the company, providing they ensure you get your contracted hours most retail contracts have a clause that essentially says "We can ask you to do any and all days/hours as required for the needs of the business". Unless you then formally opt out of Sunday working (which then potentially loses you hours), if your company changes your working pattern from Thurs/Fri/Sat to Sun/Mon/Tues your options are to work Sun/Mon/Tues or potentially lose the hours they want you to do on Sunday as they don't have to offer you hours at another time.

We have so little consistency and so few guarantees in retail, Sunday working is one of the few we have left so most of us are not giving it up willingly.

But cafes, restaurants, cinemas, pubs, bars, parks should stay open because their staff don’t need time with their families right?

You said it way better than I could! I’m pretty sure those who don’t want Sunday opening never just sit at home and not go anywhere.

People want to stay at home but they seem to want others to stay at home too which is nonsensical.

I think they are determined to dismiss your experience and ignore the fact that workers rights are continually being eroded. The government isn't going to do anything, as the P&O workers know full well. As for getting a new job there are many legitimate reasons some people don't or cant.

Noone is saying you have to stay at gome, plenty of things to do out of the house that doesn't involve food shopping.

You have to be given the option to opt out within a certain length of time. Two months I think.

I can't imagine that someone that really does not want to work on a Sunday wouldn't take that option at that point - so if the employer wants to change their days, they won't be able to include Sunday in that.

It's possible that legislation might change, but it's also possible that it won't. It certainly hasn't in Scotland and we seem to be coping well enough with staffing levels on a Sunday.

Of course they do, it is some throw back to the 50's where sunday was a day of rest, it is from a position of privilege and something that they will loudly criticise others for.

They still want the next day delivery on monday, hospitality to open for an evening dinner and drinks, complain about a reduction in food hitting the shelves, all because sunday is a special day. It's a visual representation to remind people that whilst they absolutely abhor the consumerist society they still expect overnight workers to make sure next day delivery is met mid week otherwise they complain, but a magical sunday is somehow different.

For a lot of people it's a simple case of out of sight, out of mind.

If you don’t want to do food shopping then don’t.

Plenty of people do. There isn’t just one way to spend a Sunday.

www.theguardian.com/money/2023/feb/21/four-day-week-uk-trial-success-pattern Meanwhile, the 4 day week campaign is showing success. Let’s hope people with a long weekend don’t want to spend it shopping.

Nothing wrong if they want to spend it shopping. No need to be judgemental.

@Teamountain you’re right, I think it’s tragic to spend your regained work-life balance time shopping, and this is judgemental. OTOH maybe this expands to other areas of the economy and this results in better shift patterns for others too. Too early to tell.

To be honest it is tragic you are judgemental.

You have no idea how I spend my time.

Four day weeks aren't for the plebs who work in retail. That's the preserve of people who already have 9-5 weekday jobs and the option of working from home and flexible work hours.

@Teamountain sorry you took it so personally. I haven’t followed the thread but read the article this morning and thought it may be relevant here. I thought my first posting was quite anodyne, but you chose to be offended. I’ll leave it here; I don’t mean to wind you or anyone else up. Have a nice day.

Did I take it personally? I am amazed you know what my reactions are through the internet. Pointing out the ridiculousness of your statements does not indicate I am offended.

Of course your statement was anodyne - you think people choosing to spend their time in a way different to yours is tragic and then you make judgements about it. Yes completely anodyne. You may want revisit the definition of the word.

Anyway have a lovely day!

@Teamountain my first post, the one with the link. You come across as being in a foul mood, complete overreaction.

Reminder of fairly inoffensive post.

Im not sure why Amazon filled the gap. You only had to wait 45 mins for the shops to open.