WORKING ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Early day motion 61, tabled 7 December 2000 by Nigel Griffiths (Labour). Signed by 169 members.

That this House cherishes Christmas Day as a special day, particularly for families and children, and welcomes the campaign by USDAW, the shopworkers' union, on behalf of the 2.6 million shopworkers of United Kingdom; regrets that many shops remain open on Christmas Day because employers put undue pressure on shop workers to abandon their family responsibilities on this important religious and public holiday; notes that the vast majority of shop workers are parents who should be able to spend Christmas with their children; notes that current law offers no protection to such workers when Christmas Day does not fall on a Sunday; further notes that Christmas is an extremely busy and stressful period for shop workers and believes that they deserve at least one day off; and calls on the Government to protect shopworkers on Christmas Day.

Signatures by party: Labour 121, Liberal Democrat 21, Labour/Co-operative 11, Conservative 9, UUP 3, Plaid Cymru 2, DUP 1, Unknown 1.