Save Our Sundays (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Save Our Sundays

9:59am Tuesday 6th June 2006

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SHOP workers have families too - that was the message on Bridgwater's streets this week, when trade union supporters began a campaign designed to restrict Sunday trading hours.

Members of the town's branch of retail union USDAW took their Save Our Sundays campaign to Bridgwater town centre in a bid to enlist shoppers' support for their cause.

"Save Our Sundays is not about turning the clock back and saying stores have to close on Sundays - all we are saying is that shop workers want a proper work/life balance."

Save Our Sundays campaigner Tracey Lowther

Campaigners Danny Gee and Tracey Lowther were petitioning support for a campaign that aims to prevent stores opening longer than the six hours currently permitted on Sundays.

The duo believe the move will win the backing of workers, who want to have more free time at weekends to spend with their families, and shoppers, who feel opening hours are already adequate.

Tracey told the Mercury: "USDAW conducted a poll of its members and found that 94% of us don't want to work longer hours on Sundays.

"Those of us who have to work on Sundays know it is the only day in an increasingly busy retail week where we have a fighting chance of getting home to spend quality time with our families.

"Save Our Sundays is not about turning the clock back and saying stores have to close on Sundays - all we are saying is that shop workers want a proper work/life balance."

USDAW's campaign is likely to take place around the country, but Bridgwater is the first town where representatives have taken to the streets to enlist public support.

As well as recruiting shoppers to their cause, Danny and Tracey were also handing out postcards for shoppers to send to Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger to urge his support.

An early day motion in parliament opposing extending shopping hours has already secured the support of 273 MPs of various parties, although Mr Liddell-Grainger has not yet signed.

Danny added: "Britain's 3.1million retail workers now have the uspport of nearly half of MPs, but Bridgwater's MP hasn't signed yet.

"We're hoping enough shoppers send the postcards to Ian Liddell-Grainger so he'll change his mind and sign. We want to remind him that 64% of Britain's shoppers are opposed to any further extension of the hours, as are a large number of his constituents who work in Bridgwater's retail sector.

"We think 150 hours a week shopping is quite enough, even for the most hardened consumer."

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