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Do extended trading hours help or hinder your life?

 

 

 

 

Remember when the working week ended on Friday? Remember when shops closed at lunchtime on Saturdays forcing everyone to hang around with their families not buying things all weekend? Then you’re probably over 35.

The push for a 24/7 economy gobbled up the weekend in many industries, but it isn’t full yet. It’s still hungry.

Now the banks want changes to allow weekend trading (some banks do, but only those who have negotiated individual contracts) and the retail industry which already has its weekend trade deregulated is pushing to open on the last of the traditionally untouchable public holidays like Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Is it not enough that most of us are already physically plugged into the work zone through our laptops and mobile phones?

Ross Gittins wrote brilliantly on the matter this week:

“Whether or not they realise what they’re doing, Australia’s business people, economists and politicians are in the process of dismantling the weekend and phasing out public holidays. And they’re doing it in the name of making us better off.

Historically, the two arrangements that have protected the weekend and public holidays from encroachment by employers are state government restrictions on trading hours and the requirement in industrial awards that employees required to work at ”unsociable hours” be paid an additional penalty rate.

But this belief that life would be better if shops, restaurants and places of entertainment were open all hours rests on the assumption you and I won’t be among those required to work unsociable hours to make it happen. An even less obvious assumption is that the push for a 24/7 economy will stop when it has captured shopping and entertainment; it won’t continue and reach those of us who work in factories and offices.”

Take a look at your own working conditions: are you working longer hours than you should be? Weekends? Into the evenings?

Do you have to get up before you went to bed, or does it feel like it?

The argument for all of this is the Australian economy will eventually win the day and hey, isn’t that great for everyone? Of course! Having access to more money and more financial security is just perfect, because everyone likes to feel more secure while not spending time with their family and friends.

You might be working all the time, but at least you know you could enjoy it if only you weren’t … working all the time.

So, are you a fan of being able to shop, wine and dine 24/7? Or would you rather some restrictions be in place? Where’s the middle-ground?

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