Should all shops be closed on Boxing Day?

Mr_Toad

I think the shops should be allowed to open.

However, many employers open as normal and give no extra pay to those who work.

My solution would be allow the shops to open but make it law that anyone working on Boxing day was paid at bank holiday rates.

LameWolf

UKParliament wrote: »

• If Parliament banned retail stores from opening on Boxing Day, what effect would that have on you?
• How important are Boxing Day sales to you?
• If you’re a retail worker, do you have any choice about working on Boxing Day? Do you get extra pay for working on Boxing Day?
• If you were an MP, what questions would you ask the Government during the debate in Parliament?

I'll give my personal take on these points in order:

A ban would have no effect on me whatsoever; I don't go to the shops unless I need something, and I avoid times when there are likely to be crowds.

I have never been to the Boxing Day Sales and have no intention of starting.

When I first started work (1976) I was a sales assistant in Woolies, and I would have given my eye teeth to be able to work ALL the Xmas period. Even after I left my parents' home and joined the Civil Service, I would willingly have worked Xmas Day, Boxing Day and all other Bank Holidays if it had meant I could have days off in lieu at a time of my choosing (see my next answer, below) - I'm not a Christian and have no kids, so Xmas is meaningless to me.

In our multicultural society, is it right to prioritise the Christian holidays? As a Pagan, I'd have loved to have the eight Sabbats off as a statutory right, but always had to put in for annual leave. Not complaining about that, just stating it as a fact.

ETA I won't sign the petition.

fierystormcloud

Yep close the shops boxing day. No need for them to be open. It's a sad state of affairs if people cannot go 2 full days with the shops shut.

It's also a sad state of affairs if people need the overtime to pay towards their Christmas. :eek: People need to rethink their outgoings and finances if they need the double time money to help towards paying off Christmas. What if they are ill and have to have the day off, and don't get ANY money for boxing day? And surely the extra sixty quid they get for boxing day, isn't going to make a dent in most people's Christmases anyway.

Shops don't need to open any longer on Sundays either. In fact I would be happy for them to not open at all. If you have run out of something, tough. Wait til Monday.

catkins

Dird wrote: »

Christmas is a family time
Boxing Day isn't Christmas. Boxing Day is when the Boxing Day Sales happen. I say let them open as long as they want, if not enough customer throughput they will naturally adjust closing times. I had a mini-emergency Sunday night then remembered Asda is forced to close.

Boxing Day IS Christmas for many people, myself included. Why on earth should shop workers be forced to work just so sad people can go shopping?

Mr_Toad wrote: »

I think the shops should be allowed to open.

However, many employers open as normal and give no extra pay to those who work.

My solution would be allow the shops to open but make it law that anyone working on Boxing day was paid at bank holiday rates.

Bank holiday rates? Shop workers HAVE to work bank holidays at NO extra money.

fierystormcloud wrote: »

Yep close the shops boxing day. No need for them to be open. It's a sad state of affairs if people cannot go 2 full days with the shops shut.

It's also a sad state of affairs if people need the overtime to pay towards their Christmas. :eek: People need to rethink their outgoings and finances if they need the double time money to help towards paying off Christmas. What if they are ill and have to have the day off, and don't get ANY money for boxing day? And surely the extra sixty quid they get for boxing day, isn't going to make a dent in most people's Christmases anyway.

Shops don't need to open any longer on Sundays either. In fact I would be happy for them to not open at all. If you have run out of something, tough. Wait til Monday.

What double time money? As I said above, bank holidays are paid at normal pay, certainly for every shop worker I know or have ever known.

I was ill once on Boxing Day but knew if I didn't go to work no one would believe I was ill but just think I was getting out of working. I had to walk in pouring rain (no buses) for over 2 miles to get there. I had literally no voice and looked like death. My manager had a go at me saying I was no use on the shop floor with no voice (yeah cos we got tons of customers on Boxing Day didn't we!) and made me work in the stock room. After a couple of hours she sent me home.

seven-day-weekend

I have just asked my son who works in Morrisons his opinion on this (his store is open Boxing Day).

He says they are asking for volunteers. He doesn't think people should be forced to work and he himself has not volunteered.

What they will do if they don't get enough volunteers remains to be seen....

tooldle

Boxing day cam about as a way for employers to gift their employees for their service. Odd then, that so many workers now have to work their day.

p00hsticks

UKParliament wrote: »

In particular, they would like to know:

UKParliament wrote: »

If Parliament banned retail stores from opening on Boxing Day, what effect would that have on you?

None - I would never go shopping on Boxing Day

UKParliament wrote: »

How important are Boxing Day sales to you?

Unimportant

UKParliament wrote: »

If you’re a retail worker, do you have any choice about working on Boxing Day? Do you get extra pay for working on Boxing Day?

I'm not a retail worker

fierystormcloud

catkins wrote: »

Boxing Day IS Christmas for many people, myself included. Why on earth should shop workers be forced to work just so sad people can go shopping?

What double time money? As I said above, bank holidays are paid at normal pay, certainly for every shop worker I know or have ever known.

I was ill once on Boxing Day but knew if I didn't go to work no one would believe I was ill but just think I was getting out of working. I had to walk in pouring rain (no buses) for over 2 miles to get there. I had literally no voice and looked like death. My manager had a go at me saying I was no use on the shop floor with no voice (yeah cos we got tons of customers on Boxing Day didn't we!) and made me work in the stock room. After a couple of hours she sent me home.

Sorry Catkins. And I understand what you're saying. It's just I know a few people who are getting paid double time for Boxing day and triple time for Christmas day. I also know several people who are turning down the chance to work Christmas day and Boxing day, even though they're treble and double time, because they'd rather be with their family. Besides, a couple of people I know did this last year, and after tax, there was hardly any difference in their monthly pay packet.

As for your tale of having to go in Boxing day; the same happened to one of my nieces when she worked at maccys. (The first Christmas she was there.) She was told they are open every day except Christmas day, and she had to work Christmas Eve and Boxing day.

So she worked til 6pm Christmas Eve whilst all her family was at home snuggled around the fire supping sherry and playing board games, then had to go in Boxing day - and she felt a bit ill too. Well her Christmas day was marred by the fact she had to be in work the next day, and then to add insult to injury, she was there on Boxing day for 2 hours, and because they were so dead, they sent her home! So her Christmas day was ruined for nothing. And all she got was 2 hours pay for Boxing day.

And as she was told she had to come in from 1pm to 7pm; by the time she got home, the day was almost over, and all she did all morning was sit there waiting to go in... So Boxing day was a write off, and then she was due in the afternoon of the 27th too!

In an ideal world, everyone in retail would finish midday on Christmas eve, and come back 10am on the 28th! 3 and a half days off! Seems we MUST open all hours though, in case someone has forgotten to buy a jar of mustard!

mumps

I'll sign if it includes all pubs, clubs, restaurants, petrol stations, cinemas and theatres close as well. I've worked in retail, other jobs that required working at Christmas as well as growing up in a pub so I know all about working at Christmas and I don't know why it is always people in retail who get all the sympathy.

fierystormcloud

mumps wrote: »

I'll sign if it includes all pubs, clubs, restaurants, petrol stations, cinemas and theatres close as well. I've worked in retail, other jobs that required working at Christmas as well as growing up in a pub so I know all about working at Christmas and I don't know why it is always people in retail who get all the sympathy.

Yes all these should get it off too. ^^^