A union is urging MPs to vote against legislation that would allow shops to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Two member's bills that would liberalise Easter trading are on Parliament's order paper and could come up for debate as early as Wednesday.
Parliament's commerce committee has considered the bills, which passed their first reading last year, and recommended merging them into a single piece of legislation – the Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Good Friday and Easter Sunday) Amendment Bill.
But National Distribution Union secretary Laila Harre today urged MPs to vote against the legislation, which would mean only Christmas and the morning of Anzac Day remained protected.
The bill would impact on 200,000 shop workers as well as their families and communities. Ms Harre said most workers valued their only remaining protected Sunday. The union did not object to special exemptions for towns where big events were being held over Easter. "But in allowing all shops to open everywhere on one or both days these bills go too far."
United Future deputy leader Gordon Copeland has already said he will vote against the bill. He said Good Friday and Easter Sunday should be preserved as holidays so families could enjoy them together.
New Zealand shops were already open 361.5 days a year and 51 Sundays and New Zealanders already worked some of the longest weekly hours of any OECD country. MPs will get a conscience vote on the bill. Under the bill territorial authorities that do not want shops to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday can be exempted.
