Sunday trading deregulation would be “slap in the face” for key workers

The letter, from Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis, says: “Usdaw members and their colleagues have been working throughout this crisis keeping the shelves in our supermarkets stocked. This move to deregulate Sunday trading hours would come across as an opportunistic use of the coronavirus crisis and a slap in the face for each and every worker in retail and the food supply chain. I would hope that the government would instead spend its time exploring how we can ensure that these low paid key workers can get the level of pay and job security they deserve.

“For a number of years, Usdaw has been calling for a government strategy to support the retail sector, especially the non-food sector that is currently closed. The government has instead on a number of occasions started a debate over Sunday opening hours. Each time, we have shown that there is no credible economic case in favour of deregulating Sunday trading; and, on each previous occasion, the government have backed off and withdrawn proposals to deregulate. These current proposals would not provide any real help to the retail sector as it looks to how to recover from the crisis.

“On behalf of Usdaw members and their colleagues who have served the community so well during this crisis, I ask you to confirm that this unfair and unnecessary proposal will not be pursued any further.”