Boxing day trading ?

There seems to be two clearly defined issues involved in the controversy over Boxing day trading.  One concerns the present ridiculous situation where shops may open in Shellharbour - but not in Wollongong, and the other is whether all retail employees should have a family day off to get over Christmas day.

The legislation being proposed will open the flood gates to an open slather, but subjected to penalty rates to reimburse those who choose to come in to work.   That " choice " is very tongue in cheek.   In this time of tight employment, who in their right mind would stand out as a dissident by refusing ?

The legislation looks like being rejected because it will hinge on the minor parties and they are expressing doubts.  Probably the fairest outcome would be a total ban on department stores opening on Boxing day, with no exemptions for the phony " tourist area " divide that now exists.

If parliament bites the bullet and bans Boxing day trading right across the state, do not automatically expect that it means people in retail will get a day off.  What it really means is that the traditional Boxing day sales will take place on the next trading day - and staff will need to prepare the store for when the doors open and the public rush to get the promised bargains.

As things now stand, those stores that do trade on Boxing day require staff to come to work in the wee small hours prior to opening time to restore order from the Christmas eve shutdown,  get the sale stock in place and fix the price tickets and advertising material that is relevant to the Boxing day sales, and of course the cleaning staff will be required to get the store ship shape and Bristol fashion - and ready to trade.

It is a fact of life that in many big department stores staff work on Christmas day to prepare for the Boxing day sales.  Not all staff, but usually department heads and a few key staff are " invited " to participate.   That seems to be just part of the work custom that prevails - just as newspaper people  work on Christmas day - because of the need to prepare the next day's paper.

In reality,  the issues covered by this legislation are more theoretical than practical.   Whenever legal trading is permitted to start, store people will need to have the store ready - and that means some staff will be required to work on the previous day - be it Christmas day or Boxing day - to have that happen.

It simply reinforces that old saying.   "  The more things change, the more they stay the same ! "