Shop staff ban longer trading

Press, 20 April 1979, Page 10

Shop staff ban longer trading

PA Nelson The Shop Employees’ Association will continue to oppose any application for extended trading hours that affects association members.

The association’s president (Mr K. G. Wills) said that the association’s national conference at Nelson adopted a policy , of continued opposition to extended hours. “We consider that the administration of the Shop Trading Hours Act still poses a direct and continuing threat to the workers of New Zealand,” he said. The association would this year train union officials in local brnaches in the procedures connected with opposing applications before the Shop Trading Hours Commission. Mr Wills said that they

would be taught hov

collect and organise information, as well as their role in appearing at hearings. This would allow most applications to be dealt with locally, which was necessary because of the increasing number of applications. “When the commission was first set up it expected about two days of hearings a month, but it worked eight full months last year, and this year it might be a full-time job,” Mr Wills said. The association will also seek another meeting with retailers to confirm discussions held last year. Of particular importance. Mr Wilis said, would be amendments to the act which both the shop employees and the retailers agreed upon.