Union leader Laila Harre says Rotorua MP Steve Chadwick's bill for shops to open on Easter Sundays will see workers bullied into working.
Ms Harre, who has been in Rotorua this week in her role as National Distribution Union secretary, told the Daily Post she had about 8000 retail members in the union and a majority were against working on Easter Sunday.
She said the union had always advocated there should be three-and-a-half days a year where there is no trading.
"We have never had a member of ours who works in shops trying to change this policy."
She said despite the bill allowing staff to not work if they don't want to, she said the pressure on those workers, particularly in smaller businesses, would be huge.
"We have Members of Parliament like Steve Chadwick who live in completely different worlds than shop workers.
"Most shop workers live hand to mouth on low wages and are not in a position to stand up and refuse to work.
"It's good to have that protection [in the bill] but it's not worth anything."
Mrs Chadwick said Ms Harre had a valid point and she would be happy to make amendments to her bill if anyone could see a better way.
"If someone gives me the wording, I would be quite happy to put that through as an amendment but no one has."
She said several of her colleagues, including Minister of Labour Ruth Dyson, were working on ways to get stronger worker protection which could end up being an amendment to her bill.
That could include ensuring staff who worked Easter Sunday got time and a half as well as a day in lieu, she said.
Mrs Chadwick's Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Easter Trading) Amendment Bill is due to be heard in Parliament next month.
If passed, it will allow local authorities to decide if shops in their area can trade on Easter Sunday.
It will see all workers rostered to work on Easter Sunday covered by the Holidays Act 2003. If passed, local authorities will consult with their communities before deciding whether shops in their areas can open on Easter Sunday.
