Make Sure This Easter Isn’t Your Last says CTU

The Council of Trade Unions is encouraging all workers to get behind the campaign to save Easter for retail workers, CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said today.

“Parliament is currently considering allowing trading on two of the last few days where retail workers can have time off to spend with their families. As the retail workers themselves say – “Parliament is trying to take a holiday – Ours”.

“We’re saying to all workers, don’t let this Easter be the last one for your friends and family members in retail – get in behind their union’s campaign to preserve one of the last days where shops are not allowed to trade,” Ms Beaumont said.

"In 1990 most shops could not trade on any Sunday and they were unable to open on nine of the 11 recognised public holidays. Now they can trade on 51 out of 52 Sundays and every public holiday except Good Friday, Christmas Day and the morning of Anzac Day.”

"There are only three and a half days a year when shops cannot trade, so the limit is hardly onerous. There is growing community recognition about the need to address work-life balance issues, and we hope that MPs consider this as they debate the two bills before Parliament in the coming months."

Workers wanting to support the campaign should approach their MP to let them know their views, contact their union, or sign the National Distribution Union’s online petition to MPs (http://www.shelfrespect.org/eastertrading), Beaumont said.