Newsgroups: ont.general
Path: utzoo!utgpu!west
From: west@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Tom West)
Subject: Sunday Shopping (Con)
Message-ID: <1989Dec20.222459.21666@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Organization: UTCS Public Access
Distribution: ont
Date: Wed, 20 Dec 89 22:24:59 GMT

  Interestingly enough, this issue tends to split along two simple lines.
Do you know someone who works in the retail industry?  It seems that most of
those who do, don't really want to see Sunday shopping.  This may have something
to do with the fact that they know what it is like to have no common day off
in a family.  They are aware that the idea of nobody *having* to work Sunday is
bunk.  Most small businesses will *have* to get somebody to work there.  You 
simply won't be hired if you can't work the shifts.  Obviously I am in this
camp.  My (now) wife and I spent about 8 months getting no common days off. 
I put it people's imagination just how much outcry there would be if business
offices decided to open Sundays.  You can bet a bloody big one!
(Saturday's are of course out of the question as that's the big day in most
retail stores).

  As for the rest, of course Sunday shopping is a good thing.  It's convenient
to shop when one has a day off, and nobody is going to force them work Sundays.
(And if its repeated often enough, it will be true!)  But then, they're only 
retail workers, not real people.

  It is worth remembering some minor facts.  If a store can remain open on a
Sunday, it almost certainly will *have* to so in order to compete.

  When a small store of 4 employees is open on Sundays, at least 25% if the 
staff is going to *have* to work Sundays, law or no law.  

  Somehow I imagine support for Sunday shopping to be built on either the 
belief that people won't have to work Sundays (hopless delusion) or just simply
not caring what this does to retail worker's family lives.

  As for equating life critical services with the convenience of Sunday 
shopping.  (i.e.  If the doctor has to be on duty Sunday to perhaps save my
life, the store clerk had better be there in case I want to shop.)  Might I
suggest that in one case the benefit of saving a life has been determined to
be worth the cost to the worker.  I, at least, don't believe that my 
convenience is more important than retailers worker's home lives.  (And yes, I
work 9-5 M-F and get burned by this as well.  That's why Saturdays exist).

  [Apologies if this is too strongly worded.  My reasons for my feelings are
   obvious enough]

					Tom West

-- 
				Tom West

BITNET:         tomwest@utorgpu.bitnet, tomwest@gpu.utcs.utoronto
Internet:       tomwest@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca
