Scottish shopworkers gain right not to work on Sundays

Scottish
shopworkers will soon have the right to refuse to work on Sundays, as a result
of legislation which comes into effect from tomorrow.

The
new Act offers shopworkers the assurance that they cannot be sacked for
choosing not to work on Sundays.

Trade
union Usdaw is keen to make its members aware of their new rights, introduced
by The Sunday Working (Scotland) Act 2003.

It
is estimated that there are 252,000 shopworkers in Scotland – one in 10 of the
working population. Depending on the terms of their employment contracts, some
are automatically protected, while others will need to opt-out and give
three-months’ notice. These rights apply to shopworkers and are irrespective of
age or length of service.

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The
Sunday Working (Scotland) Act, the result of a Private Member’s Bill introduced
by David Cairns, the Labour MP for Greenock and Inverclyde, brings Scottish
shop and betting workers in line with counterparts in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland, who already have this right.

By Quentin Reade