Motion no: 4
Conference is concerned by the trend, both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, towards a 24/7 culture in retail. Conference notes with particular concern the proposals by Belfast City and Derry City & Strabane Councils to designate their areas as a holiday resort with the aim of extending Sunday trading hours, a step which would put pressure on councils across Northern Ireland to follow suit. Conference believes that the trend towards 24/7 retail trading, including deregulated Sunday trading, is having a serious negative impact on retail workers, associated workers and local communities across Ireland. Employee exibility in retail is increasingly one-sided with the employer changing shifts and hours at short notice with little discussion.Conference believes that workers should have a right to enjoy a healthy work-life balance and that working on Sundays should be voluntary for retail workers. Conference further believes that retail staff working unsocial shifts, such as Sundays, should be compensated through premium pay. Conference agrees that the ICTU will: Promote the importance of all workers enjoying a healthy work-life balance in a 24/7 retail sector. Support the campaign against the proposals from Belfast City and Derry City & Strabane Councils to use the holiday resort provisions to extend Sunday trading hours. Support the principle that Sunday working should be voluntary for retail workers and that working on a Sunday should be rewarded with premium pay.
