Should all shops be closed on Boxing Day?

mumps

fierystormcloud wrote: »

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

Good, I am all for fairness.

gycraig_2

I'd love Boxing Day off it's not double time in my job and is expected ted.

I'd love to get drunk and chill instead of dealing with angry people returning gifts.

Should make double time a legal requirement

freyasmum

It makes no odds to me whether shops open or close on boxing day; I won't be near them anyway.

I've worked on Boxing Day for three years. The first, I was working a temp job in BHS through Christmas. I got double time and I didn't mind it TOO much - we did enjoy very, very late Christmas Day bedtimes though, which wasn't too compatible.

The second and third years, I was working in a customer service call centre for a big phone company. They were open 365 days a year. Christmas Day and New Years Day were treble time and every other day was classed as a normal day. Luckily, I managed to get out of Christmas Day! But one year, I finished at 10pm on Christmas Eve and had to be in at 7:30 on Boxing Day - that was absolutely horrible I worked both New Years Days and didn't mind it at all - I'm not a big one for NYE anyway, and all the still-drunks would be phoning in to wish us a Happy New Year and generally just have a chat :rotfl:

Working those hours on Christmas was not for me at all - to finish to late on CE and then start so early on Boxing Day meant my Christmas couldn't really be enjoyed. BUT there were other people to whom the season wasn't as important. So who am I to force my ideals on them?

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.

As long as the petrol stations have self-service pumps.

We're driving around 800 miles between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day and won't make it home otherwise

cazs

catkins wrote: »

I makes no difference that it is a public holiday, you are forced to work. The same applies to all the bank holidays.

Why do you love going shopping on Boxing Day? Surely you could wait until the following day? Personally I find it sad that anyone would want to go shopping when there are so many other things they could be doing.

As I and others have said lots of people are NOT willing to work it but are made to

I could wait until the next day but then the most popular items are usually gone. The early bird catches the worm. There are other things that one could be doing, eg slumping in front of the TV or drinking glasses of wine, or whatever people do, but that's not my personal preference, though I would not consider it appropriate to insult them for doing so. Yes it is unfortunate if you are not given any choice and end up having to work Boxing Day but that is not applicable in every situation and others work that day by choice for the extra cash. So I stand by it, if the shops are open, then I will go.

BarryBlue

I simply don't buy this idea that Boxing Day opening is 'not needed'. You could apply that to any individual day of the year, but what would it achieve? It is a complete nonsense.

Shops and businesses should be allowed to open whenever they choose, and of course close whenever they choose. They should be able to make the decision on their opening hours based on commercial considerations, not the orders of those with a completely different agenda. It is an impertinence and undue interference, driven as usual by the religious lobby.

Christmas has no meaning for us at all. My wife would happily work on Xmas and Boxing Days if she could, but she can't as the office is closed. She is forced to take these days off, along with others at Easter and other bank holidays, rather than have total flexibility with these days to take off at more suitable times.

The last thing we need is more interference in what we are allowed to do from Parliament. They would be better employed removing religious influence from state affairs altogether.

Kim_kim

fierystormcloud wrote: »

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!

I'm a "pen pusher", we are open till 5pm on xmas eve, xmas eve is a regular day.

Kim_kim

SunnyCyprus wrote: »

I did work for Next for 2 years, and I had no choice but to work the Christmas sale. "Needs of the business" in the contract....
so after a hectic Christmas Eve working until 8pm to prep the store for Boxing Day, (the store closed at 5pm) I did our family xmas day, cooked, cleaned, entertained etc.. and was back in work at 3.45am to start at 4am. I worked in the warehouse so this was our last hour to prepare the shop floor. Customers and been parked outside since 2am though..

it really saddened me and just made the whole xmas feel like a non-event. Retail is non essential, there is absolutely no need for shops to open the day after xmas.

Now my other half is in retail, and dreading the 'xmas day off'. At the very least I would wish to see reduced opening hours allowed on Boxing Day.

4am opening is just ridiculous!!!!
There is no reason whatsoever why that can't wait till 10am.
What saddo goes out on xmas night & queues up in the cold to get into Next!

duchy

I do get triple time if I work Christmas Day ......if I can get my preferred shift I'll do it (early done by lunchtime). If I can't I won't do it. (In early and home in time for lunch OH is perfectly capable of cooking it too and actually enjoys doing it)

i usually volunteer for the early NYD. I hate new year all drunks and people crying ..... so tend to see it in at home . I have no problem covering the shift for those it matters to.

There's something awfully sad about people who'd rather shop than spend time with family and one day of togetherness has them running for the shops.

Anyway I'll stick to my personal protest and not shop n Boxing Day. My little bit of solidarity with the retail workers who are the ones who get the least choice in the matter and no extra pay for it. Over paid IT bods minding the servers and getting triple pay and an extra day off for it I have less sympathy for

PeggyM37

The shops should be closed. Whether you are religious or not, everyone deserves the extra day to spend with their family. Does anyone actually NEED to shop on Boxing Day?

WibblyGirly

I work in a store that shuts for boxing day but this is my first job that does. My old jobs all opened boxing day and I hated it. Super busy, never got all my breaks, customers way ruder than usual! If the place I work now decided to open boxing day I know I'd be forced to work it because I don't have kids. I also wouldn't get anything extra for it. Maybe the MD would send an email saying 'Thanks stores for all your hard work' which means sod all to me. Extra pay for bank hols would be better, especially since its always the same people doing them.
This is my last xmas in retail and I can't wait to never work it again!