HUNDREDS of supermarkets will remain closed on Boxing Day and no food deliveries will be made as a result of changes to shop trading legislation by the New South Wales Government.

Coles yesterday accused the Government of kowtowing to the unions on the legislation, which the Government has put in place to attempt to ensure better conditions for workers over the Christmas public holiday period.

The changes have come into place because of Christmas and Boxing Day fall on a weekend this year.

Coles will be able to open 84 stores in "tourist areas" on Boxing Day under the new laws, but the other 200 stores it would like to open on the Sunday have to remain shut.

The other major retailers - Woolworths, Aldi, Franklins and IGA - will also be affected by the new laws.

Coles spokesman Robert Hadler said the laws would "take away the ability to clean stores and accept deliveries on the closed days for all stores".



"Customers will be forced to shop heavily on Christmas Eve to last for the busiest time of the year and not be guaranteed supply on the Monday as stores cannot be replenished over the break," he said.

"We estimate $15 million in lost sales in NSW, especially in rural and regional NSW where no shops will open."

Coles employees would lose more than $500,000 in pay for Boxing Day.

"As we cannot replenish during closed days, the quality of fresh bread, milk and fresh produce, meat and fruit and vegetables will be adversely affected," he said.

Lobbying by Coles and the National Retailers Association had been unsuccessful in having the laws changed.

"The unions are taking advantage of Christmas falling on a weekend this year," Mr Hadler said.

A spokeswoman for Premier Kristina Keneally said: "We make no apologies for workers who elect to share the holiday with their family and friends."

Australia should move into the modern world.  Open all the shops 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  There would be plenty of people that would want the work, even at or around Christmas, provided people were paid the proper penalty rates.

The penalty rates are very fair.   Why should they not be able to have penalty rates?.

I don't see how religion comes into it.  A recognized public holiday in Australia, is a recognised public holiday.      

If the workers miss out on the work, and the consumers miss out, then so be it.

The Unions got greedy by wanting four paid public holidays instead of the usual two.

You reap what you sow.  If you dont like the Supermarkets decision, contact the unions.  The supermarkets have made a business decision, one they are free to make.  They didnt want to pay for the 4 days, and thats fair.

Quote:




That's right.
But when non-christian want to observe their holidays, they either feign a sickie and get paid normal rates or take annual leave and get the loading.
Whilst those that work on non-christian 'holidays' don't get any penalty rates simply because those days aren't recognised.


There's an inconsistency here.

Anyone but an absolute imbecile can plan their groceries  a few days in advance.

Miss Anne Dryst wrote on Nov 26^th, 2010 at 9:03pm:


If their fearless leader is any indication, they`d benefit from the loss of a few stone off their flabby bottoms.