Jacqui Dean's Easter Sunday Shop Trading Amendment Bill lost its second reading 37 - 84. It was a personal vote, and I hope to have a full voting record tomorrow. As for why, there are two possible reasons. The first is that MPs have again decided to reject Easter trading. The second is that a large number of Labour MPs would rather see Steve Chadwick's rival Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Easter Trading) Amendment Bill (which has a more flexible decision mechanism and better protections for workers) pass instead. We'll just have to wait until the next Member's Day to find out.
Well I'm glad this bill has failed. Personally I don't care either way about trading on Easter Sunday, it doesn't really affect me anymore. But, both the law as it stands and as proposed in both bills are unacceptable for people who would ordinarily work on Easter Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see Easter Sunday made a public holiday - giving workers the right to time & a half and a day in lieu - regardless of liberalisation of trading laws.