Dean bill on shop trading hours defeated
Just caught the vote on the Easter Sunday Shop Trading Amendment Bill - a victory for unions, workers and their families. Despite National MP Mark Blumsky attempt to give shopkeepers 'the right' to open their stores, and thereby putting pressure on retail staff to work, the bill was defeated!
I think the vote was 37 in favour and 84 opposed, with no abstentions.
Whoo hoo! I hope Labour MP Steve Chadwicks bill on the same issue will also end up where it belongs - in the parliamentary rubbish bin!
I think it says a lot about the proponents of the market that they cannot stand the idea of markets being partly shut for a whole three and a half days a year.
Update: Confirmation of numbers here
Labels: parliament, shop trading hours
posted by Joe Hendren @ 22:00
2 comments
2 Comments:
Do you think non-retail staff should also get a compulsory day off? I mean why should government shop inspectors be away from their families on a special day?
Personally, I think a right to take leave (or not) at a time of ones choosing would be a much better thing to have. Being forced to take leave between Christmas and New Year's, for instance, is something you only get in NZ and I find a bit of an imposition.
Of course non retail staff should get a day off too - my point was that it is retail staff that are most likely to face pressure to work if the restrictions on trading are removed.
It would be nice if labour inspectors could have the day off too, but while we have naughty companies like Bunnings opening illegally, labour inspectors will be an 'essential service' - they are defending the rights of workers to have a day off!
I agree there can be a problem with companies forcing people to take leave Xmas and new year - this especially affects new staff who have earned few holidays - suddenly they have none. Perhaps employers should stop being stingy by international standards and if they want people to take leave then - give them leave above the four weeks to be used at that time.
In both cases the problem is employers wanting to dictate when people can work and when they can take leave.
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