Rashers wrote:

I think it was once, Laurie, but as people move jobs, or their employers update their contracts of employment, I think it is getting harder, especially if you have to work for some of our amazing retail giants. Next used to pay a premium for Sunday and Bank Holiday working but that was finished a while back. I believe Tesco still pay a premium for their longer serving employees, but that might have changed.

My Father worked in Newspapers all his life and he always got premium pay for working bank holidays. By the time he retired it was a normal working day (including Christmas Day). All employers have to provide a day of in Lieu, and he actually enjoyed the day off when he wanted, rather than taking the enforced bank holiday day. But it wasn't a choice. I will admit that he went into the industry knowing what he was letting himself in for, but working Christmas Day only came in 25 years ago, or so, when the London Papers decided to publish on Boxing Day.

I think it is very encouraging that people without Children give their Christmas up so those with youngsters can enjoy this time of year

I worked as an Electrician for many years, and you would be surprised how many of our 'customers' assumed that we were ok working nights, weekends, bank holidays etc. just so their employees didn't get disrupted during their working day. Even quite small jobs seem to upset everyones equilibrium. We were treated in some offices like we were unclean. We did get paid overtime in those days and the laughable part of it was, we were probably better qualified, and were earning a hell of a lot more money than the desk jockeys who looked down on us. The sad part of it is, working seven days a week had an enormous impact on your family and social life. I am now a desk jockey myself and can see the same sneering from others when the fire alarm is tested or air conditioning is serviced. I just make the engineers a mug of tea

sad thing rashers, retail is getting far to greedy and always wanting more and more. I worked for asda since 2002 right to 2015. In 2010 things turned very sour, they would keep the store open later and later, on xmas eve and new years eve. Keep people back to 10 pm! the store would be open till 8 pm! before they would just say right off and a have a good one, with in a matter of 30 mins of the last customer leaving, and we are talking about 3 30 pm finishes. So the days when everyone would meet up after work, were practically history sadly. The wage side of things, changed from old world pay to the new world pay, so some people still got good ratings on a weekend etc. New world pay would get a couple of quid more for a bank holiday that was it, no more for weekends. Depending on the type of contract you had, the bank holidays you ended up going in for £3 quid an hour. As they would still pay you if you took it off, they stopped new workers taking the bank hols off, and very recently they started to introduce 0 hour contracts for new people joining the company, and try to prevent them having a break.
For what you put up with in retail at xmas time and what you get out of it at the end of the month, just isn't worth the paper at all. Its all thrown at you at august, as soon as November hits, you are brain washed with xmas Carrols, So come December you are practically wanting it to be over as soon as possible. Give Retail a chance, it would be open xmas day and easter sunday. Which I can see that happening sadly Retail does kick the spirt out everything, there should be a lot of laws keeping the rains on supermarkets etc. Only takes one Supermarket to push for something like what happened to your dad, and boom. All of them will be in on the act, Tescos was the 1st company to open boxing day, then the rest decided to follow.
What used to get me too rashers, was how nasty customers got at xmas time etc, People walking out right in front of you at the last min when you are pulling a large pallet of beer isn't fun I tell you! I could go on etc.
When I got out I had the best xmas since 2001! as I was off and got the chance to enjoy it and got a little bit of xmas spirt back. Every time I go into store, I feel sorry for the staff. One lass behind the till was so stressed and wound up she was on the verge of walking off, at xmas time, due to how she was been treated. I made her day as I said I know how you feel, as I used to work for asda. I said take your time, its only a supermarket. Everyone will have to wait wont they? it made her day that did. As she realised that there are some customers that do know and understand what they are going through.
Emergency services etc I am very thankful, for those that do give up those special days. Since I started working ( 16 years of age) I always have a drink for them and spare a thought  Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back

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