WITH reference to Brian Derbyshire’s comments on the extension of Sunday retail hours.

Of course there are many companies and factories which need to keep machines running seven days a week and therefore need workers to work unsocial hours.

My husband worked shifts for more than 25 years. However, for the most part, they are relatively well paid — and quite rightly so.

Hospitals, police, etc, have to be kept running 24 hours a day. These are known as emergency services. Shopping, however, is not an emergency. The retail sector is putting more and more pressure on workers regarding working hours.

Bank holidays are virtually non-existent now and the most that can be guaranteed at present, is Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. Is it really too much to ask that Sunday trading remain as it is? Can’t people find better things to do with their time than spend it shopping?

Also, if you think that this will mean more employment you should remove your rose-tinted glasses.

Staff would simply be rotated about to cover the extra shifts needed. As they are already stretched to the limit, don’t moan too much when you can’t find a sales assistant on the shop floor.

There simply aren’t enough of us to go around. And yes, I do work in retail, and, as last year, I won’t be having any bank holidays.

Yes, I could leave (before anyone writes in) but that doesn’t change the fact, it just passes them on to someone else. No win-wins as far as I can see!

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