Dragonfly and Bunny went late night shopping* tonight so we've only had time to watch one ep of something tonight. I gave Dfly the choice of
( Read more... )
I...I am struck dumb by the whole lack of convenient shopping hours for working people in Australia. In this day and age. Even where I live (Missouri, a very conservative state), where we had "Blue Laws" (no shopping on Sundays for religious reasons), we had weeknights (until 9 pm in the Sixties, now many until 10 or 11 pm or open 24hrs) and Saturday hours. And the Blue Laws were struck down in the early 1980s in Missouri. (*g* Because businesses were sick of losing paying customers across the state line to Illinois, which already allowed shopping on Sunday. I remember for years picking up my friend who lived just across the river in Illinois and the two of us driving to the nearby towns with shopping malls.)
Most of us don't mind - it's what we've always known, and it's not actually a bad thing having Sunday as a literal day off. We're not a super religious country, so it's not about going to church for most people, just about relaxing. Australia still has an excellent social system (although our government is currently doing it's best to systematically dismantle it) so most of us don't have to work long hours. For the 9 to 5 ers, Thurs and Sat - and now Sundays for the supermarkets and home depots works fine. In fact, given that the supermarkets are almost all open to 8, I often just stop at the shops on the way home and grab groceries.
The main reason (I think) it keeps getting shot down is because of our excellent pay rates - if people work outside normal business hours (nights, Sundays) they have to be paid penalty rates on top of that. There's a concern that changing to 24/7 would give businesses an excuse to demand a drop wages and getting rid of penalty rates.
Well, you know, that makes a lot of sense--both that your hours aren't bad and that the pay is also good (and no one wants to mess with that or pay overtime. Although maybe they would make enough on the extra sales to pay some part time people to staff the extra hours).
Although as someone who likes very late nights and the wee hours for creating, it was great that I could go to the store if I needed something at o-dark-thirty. :-) (Without a car now, in the boonies, that's no longer an option. But in the city, I could walk to the store.)
I"m sure there'd be some extra sales, though I think it'd be a diminishing rate of return.
...though I do wonder how much extra do people really buy having longer hours? or do they just spread out their shopping? and if it does make that much difference, then as a sustainably advocate I'm against it :)
Reply
The main reason (I think) it keeps getting shot down is because of our excellent pay rates - if people work outside normal business hours (nights, Sundays) they have to be paid penalty rates on top of that. There's a concern that changing to 24/7 would give businesses an excuse to demand a drop wages and getting rid of penalty rates.
Reply
Although as someone who likes very late nights and the wee hours for creating, it was great that I could go to the store if I needed something at o-dark-thirty. :-) (Without a car now, in the boonies, that's no longer an option. But in the city, I could walk to the store.)
Also, as you say, it's what you're used to.
Reply
...though I do wonder how much extra do people really buy having longer hours? or do they just spread out their shopping? and if it does make that much difference, then as a sustainably advocate I'm against it :)
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment