Not what I was looking for!

[Uncle Peter]

Religion should have been outlawed years ago. It's waste of time and money.

[Uncle Peter]

And custom and practice is sometimes stronger than law [rolls eyes]

[charles]

Closing was no problem - it was being open on the Sunday that had been a no-no, due to custom and practice. He wanted to be open when his potential customers might do their shopping. I met something similar in the 1980s, when at a computer show with a colleague. We passed as stsnd advertising a Hebrew wordprocessor. It was closed (Saturday). My collegue said that it was silly closing on a Saturday, I said but his potential customers won't be here today..

[Scion]

Dave Liquorice put finger to keyboard:

Petrol stations, some with mini-mart type stores.

[critcher]

just about right for a trip of a lifetime claim then.

[whisky-dave]

I thought it was because they were moslty from indian, asian counties In the early 80s woolworths in southhall was trading on a sunday as were most shops in the area.

[Uncle Peter]

State your point.

[Uncle Peter]

And he only sold that one product? Nothing for normal folk?

[Uncle Peter]

24/7 means 24/7. If they have the sign, they will be open.

[John Williamson]

There have always been niche software companies which only sell one product. Many of these have traditionally been one man bands, programming at home between doing their day job, while selling the program as either shareware or donation ware. One such enterprise is the guy that wrote and maintains Social Fixer for Facebook.

[John Williamson]

Most of the big stores have the 24/7 sign, with a little note under neath saying "06:00 Monday until 23:00 Saturday. Also open 11:00 - 17:00 Sunday"

The more switched on now say "Open 7 days (continuously from 06:00 Monday until 23:00 Saturday, and 12:00 until 18:00 on Sunday)

[Uncle Peter]

If I ever went to one that said 24/7 and it was shut, I'd simply never go to that shop again, except perhaps once to point out their sign is annoying.

[Uncle Peter]

Does that get rid of ads?

[Uncle Peter]

A more sensible legal system. If we get independance, even more sensible hopefully.

[Bob Henson]

I don't like unions either. However, there are several differences with shop workers hours.

From the psychological point of view, life is better and more pleasant if it is structured to some extent, and a weekend which gave a complete break for most people provided that structure. Because most people still have that structure (you will notice that, almost without exception, the individuals who scream for seven days trading are the ones who only work Monday to Friday - or don't work at all) most social events are arranged for the weekend - so shop workers tend to be excluded unfairly from many social events - discrimination of the worst kind, but no-one notices that.

Although, technically, they cannot be made to work seven days a week, they often are "unofficially" forced to do just that, occasionally if not every week - "No, of course you don't *have* to work weekends - but that nice Polish chap Tomas will do, so we'll employ him instead".

The worst thing of all perhaps is/was the closure of small convenience stores run largely by the proprietor - pharmacies are a good example. They either go bankrupt, or have no social life at all. Most have gone down the pan already - put out of business by the big businesses who can afford to employ cheap foreign labour (look how many Spanish pharmacists Lloyds employ) to stay open seven days a week. Now, who are the people who whinge and moan that all their local stores have closed down - let me see, could it be the same people that demand 7 day opening? Oh yes, so they are.

I'd go so far as to say that modern life has been damaged more by seven day trading than any other factor.

[Uncle Peter]

Workers will work whatever they want to. If they don't like it they can go elsewhere. I would be equally happy working Wednesday to Sunday as Monday to Friday. In fact I'd prefer it, because my weekends would be quieter and I could go to shops that close at the weekends.

[Dave Liquorice]

Hum, most workers work the hours and times they are told to by their employer. Very few can do what they please.

And the chances are they will still have thier hours and times dictated by the employer. They might be able to refuse overtime and working outside days/times stated in the contract (if any are stated) but that would be all.

But you still have the structure of 5 days on, 2 days off and 9-5 no doubt as well. In my sector of industry I work when the work is required to be done, when ever and where ever that is 24/7 (real not English Tesco "24/7") 365 days a year (+1 day every four years or so). Work may also appear at very short notice "Are you available today and when will you be able to get to Manchester/Glasgow/where ever?" and if a day only requires 7 hours (the 9-5 less an hour for lunch) work that is a *very* short day.

[Dave Liquorice]

everywhere

Pretty clear, one trips over a box and bashes head on sharp metal of a cage. "where there's blame, there's a claim".

The aisles should be kept clear and safe (what ever that means) where the public have access or an aisle is closed to the public whilst restocking takes place along it. A worker can go and get item(s) from the closed area should a customer require something from it or advise when they expect that asile to reopen.

[Dave Liquorice]

You might be able to get a (limited) quantity of fuel at 0300 Sunday morning via "Pay at Pump" but the kiosk won't be open.

[Uncle Peter]

They are free to work elsewhere.

They would look for a job with better hours, or go part time.

And presumably you are happy doing that, or you'd tell your boss to go jump.