04-11_ARENA_WINTER2015_Arena_A5 30/10/2015 09:28 Page 2 News Sunday is hours Usdaw is piling the pressure on the Government to abandon its plans to deregulate Sunday trading More than 60 per cent of retail staff come under pressure to work on Sundays while only 6 per cent would prefer to work longer on Sundays, a new survey from Usdaw has shown. Around 10,000 shopworkers took part in the survey which has been passed to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills as part of its consultation on the Government’s plans to devolve decision-making on Sunday trading to councils. “Our members have consistently told us that they come under pressure to work unsocial hours and that is particularly true on Sundays,” said general secretary John Hannett, who led an Usdaw delegation to Westminster in October to lobby MPs to oppose any plans to deregulate Sunday trading. Around 50 MPs turned up, mostly Labour but some Tories. “Shopworkers value their Sundays and the shorter opening hours for large stores helps them to balance their working life with responsibilities at home. “There is no doubt that extended opening in large stores will lead to even more retail staff being pressured into working longer hours on Sundays. That’s why more than 90 per cent of shopworkers oppose any extension to Sunday trading hours. “The Sunday Trading Act is a great British compromise, which has worked well for over 20 years – retailers can trade, customers can shop, and staff can work. We want Sunday to remain a special day, different to other days, when shopworkers can spend some time with their family.” WIN A COFFEE MACHINE courtesy of visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/win Sponsored by the Co-operative Funeralcare. Closing Date 5 Jan. Terms apply. Website: www.usdaw.org.uk/coopfuneralcare WEB ARN 1215 04 arena WIN!