Should shops be allowed to open on Christmas Day?

Original post by manchesterunited15

It's similar to opposing gay marriage if you think about it. You're not forced to do it and both parties agree. Why would you stop them?

Because a lot of workers, especially retail 'grunts', are given a choice between working Christmas/Bank Holidays etc or being sacked - which is not a real choice. So it is not similar at all.

Reply 61

manchesterunited15

Original post by Mess.

Because a lot of workers, especially retail 'grunts', are given a choice between working Christmas/Bank Holidays etc or being sacked - which is not a real choice. So it is not similar at all.

Well obviously if the law was changed to allow shops to open on Christmas it should also be changed so that workers aren't forced to work then.

Reply 62

manchesterunited15

Original post by thunder_chunky

It's nothing like the gay marriage debate. Try again.

Explain how?

Reply 63

Mess.

20

Original post by manchesterunited15

Well obviously if the law was changed to allow shops to open on Christmas it should also be changed so that workers aren't forced to work then.

Workers aren't forced by law to work Bank Holiday's but they still are. If they don't they will find a reason to be sacked or forced to leave by refusing to give them extra shifts or giving them the bad ones.

If you have ever worked in retail, it would be pretty easy to understand why there isn't a real choice.

Reply 64

username1135580

10

Original post by manchesterunited15

It's similar to opposing gay marriage if you think about it. You're not forced to do it and both parties agree. Why would you stop them?

I can actually understand you're reasoning here

Reply 65

thunder_chunky

19

Original post by manchesterunited15

Explain how?

It's no similiar to the gay marriage debate at all. A great deal of people want gay marriage because it is about equality, giving gay people the same rights concerning marriage as people who are straight. It is not some irrelevant, small time concern it is actually an important social movement. This matter of opening shops on Christmas day however is a small matter that really is of little concern. I doubt a great deal of people are interested, it is not of great social concern and keeping the shops shut on Christmas day would not effect the economy otherwise it would have already been noted and ratified years ago. The two are not comparable whatsoever.

Reply 66

manchesterunited15

Original post by Mess.

Workers aren't forced by law to work Bank Holiday's but they still are. If they don't they will find a reason to be sacked or forced to leave by refusing to give them extra shifts or giving them the bad ones.

If you have ever worked in retail, it would be pretty easy to understand why there isn't a real choice.

But at christmas 90% of workers won't want to work, it would make no sense to get rid of them all. On bank holidays it's different as people aren't that bothered.

Reply 67

manchesterunited15

Original post by thunder_chunky

It's no similiar to the gay marriage debate at all. A great deal of people want gay marriage because it is about equality, giving gay people the same rights concerning marriage as people who are straight. It is not some irrelevant, small time concern it is actually an important social movement. This matter of opening shops on Christmas day however is a small matter that really is of little concern. I doubt a great deal of people are interested, it is not of great social concern and keeping the shops shut on Christmas day would not effect the economy otherwise it would have already been noted and ratified years ago. The two are not comparable whatsoever.

Obviously the scale and importance is completely different, but in terms of the actual argument, it's the same principle.

Reply 68

Mess.

20

Original post by manchesterunited15

But at christmas 90% of workers won't want to work, it would make no sense to get rid of them all. On bank holidays it's different as people aren't that bothered.

But 90% of workers will not be the number that don't work. You don't understand the fear that those sort of jobs prey upon as the managers know the low paid older people and the students cannot afford to lose their jobs so can pretty much be bullied into anything to keep the job.

Reply 69

Origami Bullets

19

My local indy off licence always opens on xmas day

Reply 70

thunder_chunky

19

Original post by manchesterunited15

Obviously the scale and importance is completely different, but in terms of the actual argument, it's the same principle.

Not really since they are two completely different things.

Reply 71

Aspiringlawstudent

3

Original post by thunder_chunky

"Why should they open?" is the question. You justify them opening on that day.

I wouldn't say that they [I]should/I] they be open, nor would I say that they shouldn't open. The choice should be theirs and theirs alone.

There should be no requirement that they do not open, just as there is no requirement that they do open.

Reply 72

manchesterunited15

Original post by thunder_chunky

Not really since they are two completely different things.

Well I just explained to you how your argument is actually very similar to the argument against gay marriage :rolleyes:

Reply 73

ForgetMe

21

Original post by Lexxaa

Maybe a corner shop if you run out of food. Rest should be closed :P Come on give people a break! :biggrin:

No, no, no :tongue:

What if a corner shop doesn't have what you need and only a supermarket has, the thing you need is essential and you cannot be without it?

Reply 74

ForgetMe

21

Original post by SirMasterKey

But what are the chances of you desperately running out of food on one day. Pretty slim really.

If you buy in small quantities, you can run out of food pretty quickly. Or if you forgot to buy something and on that day remembered that you really need few things but everything is closed down..

Reply 75

Bronco2012

11

Nope, retail is the industry of scum.

Reply 76

Bronco2012

11

Original post by ForgetMe

If you buy in small quantities, you can run out of food pretty quickly. Or if you forgot to buy something and on that day remembered that you really need few things but everything is closed down..

The you're a bit of a noblet as it's very easy to just stock up on christmas eve.

Reply 77

rosee92

12

If shops were open Christmas day they would, presumably, be as busy as shops are on Xmas eve as people would leave their shopping until even later. (Not everyone has presents on xmas morning and people might buy things late on xmas day purely because they don't have to be organised for a day of closures). This peak trade means that it is extremely unlikely that retail staff would be given the day off, I work at one of the biggest retailers and if I asked for Xmas eve off, or boxing day or any of the days around it I'd be told a flat no. Anyone calling in sick would have to provide evidence or face being dismissed (this actually does happen) so I think some posters on here are being painfully naive in assuming that if people don't want to work they won't have to. I didn't want to work 8 days up to xmas day with bronchitis dealing with customers and preparing for boxing day sale too, but I had to because I needed the money. Once businesses get to a certain size there's no way staff have a choice as to whether they work on busy days or not. They do it or they get sacked.