Addressing the Usdaw Annual Delegate Meeting in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary said: “No one knows better than our reps, just how hard retail staff work all year round, doubly so in the run up to the festive period. With stressed-out customers at the tills, and extra deliveries constantly coming in – it's a frantic time.
 
“Everyone should have quality time off over Christmas and New Year - to rest, relax, and celebrate with family and friends, but extended opening times and the pressure to work additional hours are leaving workers burnt out, too exhausted to enjoy Christmas when it comes. For most shopworkers it's just another day off, not a real break at all and of course long store opening hours have an impact on our members in distribution too.
 
“The Union wants the longest possible break for retail workers and no worker should have to lose pay or make up hours when their store is closed.”
 
Usdaw’s Christmas and New Year surveys of more than 18,000 shopworkers over the festive period show:

• 80% are finding it difficult to request or agree early finish on Christmas Eve.
• Over two-thirds say they are put under pressure from employers to work on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
• 61% say working these days is not voluntary.

Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 420,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion