SHOP workers’ trade union Usdaw has welcomed a unanimous decision to back a petition to end New Year’s Day trading in large stores.
The Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee agreed to write to stakeholders within the retail industry and to urge the Scottish Government to conduct a consultation.
Usdaw launched a petition last year calling on the Scottish Government to launch a consultation on implementing legislation already in place to ban most large shops from opening on New Year’s Day.
The union said the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading Act (Scotland) Act 2007 prohibits trading in most large shops on Christmas Day and gave powers to the Scottish Government to stop the opening of those shops on the latter as well. However, this has never been enacted.
READ MORE: VAT change ‘will cost Edinburgh £90m’ and could affect 1800 jobs
An Usdaw survey of more than 1000 Scottish retail staff found that 98% felt that stores should be shut on New Year’s Day. Three-quarters feel they spend too little time with friends and family over New Year and only 4% are happy to work on New Year’s Day or January 2.
Tracy Gilbert, Usdaw’s Scottish deputy divisional officer said: “We thank the petitions committee for its unanimous support and decision to progress our petition. As Jackie Baillie MSP pointed out, the First Minister agreed to look at Usdaw’s campaign, but that was back in January and the Scottish Government is now saying it’s not the right time to do this.
“It’s been 13 years since the original legislation was passed, so it is difficult to understand when the Government thinks it would be the right time. The strength of feeling among our members is clearly shown by our survey and by more than 3000 of them writing to their MSPs asking for support.
“Scottish ministers may, by statutory instrument, ban large shops from opening on New Year’s Day, subject to consultation. On behalf of Scotland’s retail workers, we urge the Scottish Government to open that consultation and for MSPs to listen to shopworkers’ concerns.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel