Talking Retail Grocery and product news for independent retailers
The Telegraph reported this morning that plans to suspend the regulations for a year to help boost the economy in the wake of coronavirus had been “sunk” by the opposition of 50 Tory MPs.
Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis said: “We appreciate the desire to help the retail sector, but the proposal to undo a long-held and workable compromise on Sunday trading was misguided and overwhelmingly rejected by shopworkers.
“We welcome reports that the government has rejected the proposal to make shopworkers work longer on Sundays.
“What the retail sector needs now is a tripartite approach of unions, employers and government sitting down talking about what a retail recovery plan will look like.
“We have long called for an industrial strategy for retail to help a sector that was already struggling before the coronavirus emergency.
“The government needs to level the playing field on taxation between online and the high street, as well as enable councils to breathe new life into town centres and make them community hubs.
“The Sunday Trading Act is a great compromise that has worked well for over 25 years and gives everyone a little bit of what they want.
“Retailers can trade, customers can shop, staff can work – while Sunday remains a special day, different to other days, and shopworkers can spend some time with their family.
“It is good news that a divisive deregulation plan has been put to one side and we can now focus on pulling together to tackle the crisis on our high streets and help save our shops and the jobs of the retail workers who have served their communities tirelessly throughout coronavirus.”
