CTU Concern At Shop Trading Liberalisation

Friday, 15 February 2002, 11:59 am
Press Release: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

The president of the Council of Trade Unions, Ross Wilson raised concerns today about moves to liberalise shop trading hours.

“It is difficult to understand why we should liberalise any further, when New Zealand is already one of the most liberal countries in the world in this area,” he said.

Ross Wilson said the union representing retail workers would be lobbying hard to oppose any further liberalisation.

“We support the National Distribution Union and hope the measures are not successful,” he said.

Ross Wilson said the debate needed to address the fact that Easter Sunday was not a public holiday and retail workers who worked this day would receive no extra compensation, and no day in lieu.

“Easter Sunday is considered by the majority of New Zealanders to be a special day,” said Ross Wilson.

“If our Parliament is determined to ignore our representations and shops are able to trade on this day, then they should at least add Easter Sunday to the other 11 statutory days so workers who work that day receive appropriate compensation for doing so.”

Ends

© Scoop Media

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.

Contact New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

• Website - union.org.nz/
• Media Contact - communications@nzctu.org.nz
• Phone - +64 4 385 1334
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Twitter - @togetherunionnz
• Physical Address - Level 3, 79 Boulcott Street, Wellington.
• Postal Address - PO Box 6645, Marion Square, Wellington 6141.