PEOPLE Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said workers should get a proper Christmas holiday this year.
Said Cllr Harkin: “Far too many workers don’t get to have a proper holiday with family and friends over the Christmas and New Year festive period.
“My motion to this month’s full meeting calls on the Council to give its support to the retail trade union Usdaw’s demand for a real holiday over Christmas without pay loss for workers.
“Surveys show Christmas Day has become a day off to prepare for a very early morning Boxing Day start rather than a holiday for far too many retail workers.
“Everyone should be able to spend quality time with family and friends over the festive season.
“It’s wrong for very profitable retailers to demand their low-paid workers give up their Christmas holidays to make even greater profits.
“Corporations encourage sales based on getting into the festive spirit – they should extend this festive spirit to their workforce.
“We are calling for the Council to write to major retailers and the Stormont Executive in support of early closure on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve; Closure on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day; and, No loss of pay for retail workers when stores are closed.
“All frontline workers deserve a new deal based on respect, £15 an hour and proper holiday time.”
“Full motion below:
“Council notes its concern that many workers in a wide range of different sectors are not receiving a decent break from work over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
“Council notes the results of the Christmas and New Year working surveys by Usdaw which show 80% of respondents from across the North said that they spend too little time at Christmas with family and friends. Christmas Day trading legislation means that nearly all shops do not trade on Christmas Day. However, many retail workers report that for them, Christmas is just a day off, not a holiday. Long hours in the run-up to Christmas and shops re-opening early on Boxing Day leaves many retail workers too exhausted and with insufficient time off to enjoy the Christmas holiday.
“Council commits to supporting the campaign to allow retail workers to have quality time with family and enjoy the benefit of the break in the way so many of us do rather than use Christmas Day as a day of recuperation.
“Council supports Usdaw’s call, backed by the March 2021 NIC-ICTU Biennial Delegate Conference, for earlyclosure on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve; Closure on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day;and, No loss of pay for retail workers when stores are closed.
“Council will write to large retailers in our district area and to the Stormont Executive requesting they support these demands.”
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