Respecting faith

For many people in this country, Sunday has a particular religious significance as a day set aside for worship and a day that's different from the rest of the week. Of course it's a view that's not shared by everyone in our multicultural Britain, but it's a view that we should respect.

At present, retail staff do have a legal right to request an opt-out from working on a Sunday, but in practice very few take it up for fear of losing their job, harming their promotion prospects or damaging relationships with colleagues. A survey by Usdaw found that only 11% of their members have had the confidence to take up the opt-out, and 62% have come under pressure to work on Sundays when they didn't really want to.

Another independent survey for Usdaw has shown that nearly two thirds of MPs questioned don't believe that the current law offers sufficient protection to employees who choose not to work on Sundays. If we are to be a nation that truly respects each person's beliefs, that situation has to change. We must respect those who want to keep Sunday special for religious reasons, and ensure that they are properly protected from having to work.

> Next...