Retail workers 'value time off' each Easter

National Distribution Union general secretary Robert Reid. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Trading bans during key holidays such as Easter allow retail workers guaranteed time-off and must remain, the National Distribution Union (NDU) says.

Most retailers, excluding eateries, pharmacies, dairies and service stations, are banned from trading on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day morning and Christmas Day. However, many shops open and say their profits outstrip the $1000 fine.

"These three and a half shopping-free days are the only ones when shop workers know that they will not be under any pressure to work," NDU general secretary Robert Reid said.

"Current trading restrictions are not onerous," he said as shops could open 361-1/2 days a year and 51 of 52 Sundays.

"Shop trading restrictions are there to ensure a bare minimum of non-trading days that celebrate and encourage family life, community activity and religious observances over narrow commercial interest," he said.

Parliament had rejected eight bills, since 1996, to open shops at Easter but some MPs stubbornly tried to keep the issue alive despite retail workers being overwhelmingly opposed to an extension of trading on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, he said.

"Constant attempts to bring this issue up is a waste of parliament's resources, when time after time these bills are rejected."

Meanwhile, stores across the country are set to flout Easter trading laws by opening their doors to the public this weekend.

Real Groovy in Wellington, which is set to close down, will open this afternoon and Easter Sunday in defiance of the law.

"We will probably get fined yet again for doing so, but we need every cent right now with this business closing down," the business posted on its Facebook page.

Garden centres are allowed to open on Easter Sunday, but required to close on Good Friday.

All of Oderings' 10 stores nationwide would be open today, as the business had done since 1970, director Darryn Odering told NZPA yesterday.

The long weekend fell on a great time of year for planting when people often like to tidy up their gardens, he said.

He did not make any staff work the day and said no one suffered by the stores opening.

"It's a bit like a victimless crime... If there wasn't the demand we wouldn't be open."

Garden Centres had been allowed to open any day they liked, until 1990 when they were left off the schedule which gave other shops, including video stores and service stations, the right to open, Mr Odering said.

"We fell quite aggrieved that the law was changed without any consultation and we got left out. So it's a matter of principle as well."

The business had been fined every year since 1994 - last year a total of $13,500, he said.

"You can say yes we are open and we make plenty of money at the time, but the fact of the matter is we have everything on sale and we grow from that but it's still 13 and a half thousand dollars we lose basically."

California Home and Garden in the Wellington suburb Miramar also planned to open today in defiance of the law.

Stores are taking an additional blow to trading this weekend with Easter Monday coinciding with Anzac Day, which restricts trading before 1pm.

- NZPA