Easter Sunday Trading Opposed

The Council of Trade Unions is against the proposed easing of Easter Sunday trading restrictions.

A working group set up to advise the Government on shop trading hours has recommended allowing more shops to open on Easter Sunday.

It has put forward two options - either a law to allow Easter Sunday trading across the board, or empowering local authorities to use by-laws allowing shops to open on Easter Sunday.

However the CTU has rejected both options.

"There are only four days of the year when shops cannot open 24 hours a day," said CTU secretary Carol Beaumont. "There needs to be some community days when shop employees can join other New Zealanders for a holiday."

Nearly 20 per cent of the workforce is in the retail sector.

If Parliament was to allow Easter Sunday trading, the CTU strongly supports penal rates and a day in lieu for workers, along with genuine choice as to whether to work that day, Carol Beaumont said.