Shopworkers seek assurances on Sunday working
The shopworkers' Union Usdaw has written to business secretary Vince Cable to seek an urgent assurance that the government has no plans to permanently deregulate Sunday trading hours in England and Wales. The action came after the prime minister's official spokesperson, when asked if a permanent law change to extend temporary changes introduced during the Olympics was on the cards, said 'a lot of people will want to look at the issue'. The communities secretary, Eric Pickles, has also indicated he is now willing to look at the impact of the temporary relaxation on trade. The Telegraph reports that extending opening hours on Sundays is thought by the Tories to be a 'pro-growth' move which should be included in the 'economic regeneration' Bill being planned for the autumn by David Cameron he plots a political fightback. But when the extended hours measure was introduced (Risks 554), Liberal Democrat business minister Norman Lamb told MPs: 'I want to make it clear that this is a temporary measure and not a test case for a permanent relaxation of the rules in the future.' John Hannett, Usdaw general secretary said: 'Parliament only agreed a temporary suspension of Sunday trading laws during the Olympic and Paralympic Games because the government promised it was neither a trial nor Trojan horse for permanent deregulation. Any move to deregulate now would justifiably be seen as a betrayal of that commitment and a gross breach of trust.' He added: 'Longer Sunday opening hours won't put more money in the pockets of hard pressed shoppers and there is no evidence it would boost jobs or growth. It would however have a very detrimental impact on the family and caring commitments of our members and fly totally in the face of the prime minister's commitment to lead a family friendly government.'
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