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UNI Europa Commerce supports the European Sunday Alliance action day of 4. March 2012 to protect a common day of rest for everybody. This first action of the Alliance is a real success: 20 actions have taken place in 11 different countries!



The endless race for maximization of profits, the current economic crisis and the member states’ governments’ austerity drive has focused on the issue of working hours. All workers are being asked to bear the brunt of the current crisis with a resulting deterioration of regulation regarding working hours, irregular hours, work life balance, retirement policies etc. The regulation of working hours is fundamental to our societies and lies at the heart of Social Europe. It recognizes the need to safeguard the health and safety of workers themselves, and the need to allow working people to raise their families, to enjoy cultural enrichment, sports, voluntary activities as crucial to the interests of workers, societies and economies.



The push by many governments in the European Union for the adoption of legislation that enables shops to open on Sundays, public holidays and late evenings has direct consequences on the working conditions of commerce workers. Some Member States’ decisions on liberalisation of opening hours, like in Italy, are made without prior negotiation with workers or the unions that represent them. This trend has made it even harder to reconcile work life and family life for commerce workers.



Many employers falsely believe that opening longer hours every week will develop the commerce sector and the economy as a whole. However, there is little evidence to suggest that increased opening hours result in economic growth. On the contrary this is a strategy pursued by the large retailers as a way of squeezing out competition from small and medium sized retailers. At the same time it creates a less attractive work place environment as workers have a harder time in balancing work life and private life.





See all actions here :



http://www.europeansundayalliance.eu/site/4marchcampaign?SWS=17e75d0af5b79bdb10faf875f007fb39