MANDATE, the 39,000 strong shopworkers union, is to make Sunday trading an issue in the forthcoming general election. The union's president, Ms Patricia Gaffney, told delegates to the annual conference in Waterford that they would have to campaign to stop the growth of Sunday opening in order to protect jobs.
The union's general secretary, Mr Owen Nulty, called on the political parties contesting the election to give commitments that they would hold a constitutional referendum, if necessary, to ban Sunday trading.
The Minister of State for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Pat Rabbitte, told the conference yesterday that he believed Sunday trading had "gone beyond what is socially acceptable or necessary". But later, in answer to press questions, he said that he did not think a constitutional referendum was a realistic option.
He believed that the provisions of the Working Time Bill, combined with the voluntary opt out from Sunday working proposed in the Private Member's Bill from the Fianna Fail labour affairs spokesman, Mr Tom Kitt, would effectively regulate Sunday trading.
Mr Rabbitte accepted that some employers and store managers were victimising employees who refused to work on Sundays. Hours were being cut, time off entitlements rejected and shifts were being changed without notice. This was "especially unacceptable" when these practices caused part time workers to lose their social welfare entitlements. Those affected were often women who were the only breadwinners for their families.
Ms Gaffney said that most people did not want to work on Sundays. "They may have to, as it is part of their contracts, or others may need to work Sundays to build up low family incomes", she told the conference.
Ireland was one of only two EU member states which permitted unregulated Sunday trading. Recent attempts to introduce Sunday trading in Germany, Denmark and Italy had been abandoned in the face of opposition from workers, the public and, in the case of Denmark, employers as well.
The thinking that to open all hours and on Sundays and bank holidays is somehow good for the trade is nonsense", she said. Seven day working had led to increased casualisation and low paid, part time jobs.
Mandate was the single strongest voice of workers in the retail and bar trades. The union believed that its members were now at a "crisis point in the retail sector". It was only a matter of time before some employer decided that the Irish people had nothing better to do with their time but shop on Christmas Day.
People in the emergency services had to work on Sundays, but no one could honestly compare shopping on Sunday with a essential service. Employers could easily agree opening hours if they wished. "Only when greed enters does the damage start. Employers are so busy trying to be first they are not giving time out to look behind them and see what havoc they are causing.
"I call on the Government, the men and women of all parties, to address this threat to my members and listen to what people really need secure jobs, jobs that contain pension rights, jobs that do not depend on state aid, as people want to be independent of social welfare. With the coming election I call on all the people of Ireland to make their voices heard in the ballot box, to protect now and for the future Irish retailing and the special nature of the Irish tradition".
Mr Nulty told delegates that the Government had promised to introduce legislation to control Sunday trading three years ago. "To date, all that has emerged is details of the difficulties facing the legislators because of what they term the possibility of a legal challenge in the event of any law differentiating between large stores and small corner shops".
"We contend that, if there is a willingness to deal with this issue, a way can and will be found. If this means that a referendum must be held to ascertain the view of the population, then let us press ahead with such a referendum in the light of the increasing damage being done to the retention of existing and promotion of further good well paid jobs in the retail trade.
Ms Gaffney said that if Sunday trading could not be controlled under the Constitution it would be necessary to get a commitment from the parties contesting the election to hold a referendum. "I formally call on the Government to hold such a referendum so that the Irish people can say Yes or No to unregulated Sunday trading.