Illegal to open yesterday? (Good Friday)

[boomer]

I didn't realise NZ had Mandatory religion.
I ain't no Christian - yesterday was 'Friday' and nobody is going to tell me I can'y open my business.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/st...ectID=10377523

Agreed! To top it off i had a couple of bible bashers knock the door today!!! sorry i said, i'm closed! and promptly SHUT the door

[Motu]

I got no truck with any religion anytime,I hate all religions more than I hate any government.But these aren't religeous holidays,Xmas and Easter are just taken from pagan days.

I operate a business 6 days a week,I get no days off,and on public holdays I pay my workers for a full days work they never did,and my business is closed with no income.But I'm happy with this,as it's a forced day off for me,otherwise I'll just work and work and work and die.I shut down and enjoy time with my family on Easter and Xmas,I will shut shop on ANZAC Day,earn no money and pay tribute to those who fought to allow me to live in a free world,I will shut shop with no income on Labour day in honour of those workers who fought for a 40hr week....otherwise I'd be open 12 hrs a day 6 days a week.I'll shut shop on the Queens Birthday because it's a good excuse for a ride.

I don't mind businesses opening on public holidays,but I think the workers should be given unpressured choice - ''Sorry Boss,but no one want's to work Good Friday,looks like you have to do it yourself'' One of my daughter's worked yesterday,it was her choice,yeah right...and she was paid time and a half (used to be triple time on public hols) She needs the money....always comes back to the money.

On thursday I had phone calls asking if I was open on friday - ''you do realise it's a public holiday?''....'I thought you would be open'.....''Are you working tomorrow?''....'No,but I thought you might be...' yeah right,it's all about me,me,me.Just had a phone call from some guy saying he want's to pick up his car - ''I told you if you weren't here by 6.00pm I'd lock it up until tuesday''....'Yeah but I need the car,is there anyway I can get my car?'.....''No,I'm not in Auckland,see you on tuesday,clunk....''

[Ixion]

If you really take that argument to its logical conclusion then all workers should get the day off, not just retail workers. So Bikeycop, Spudchucker and Scumdog, you can all go home and spend the day with your families. No policing required. Speedmedic, no accidents or illnesses today, so you can have the day off too.

I don't know what you'll all do at home, because you won't be able to cook or watch TV, or even go on the net... You see there wil be no electricity available as I'll be at home as well.

That is a very valid point, and one that was always considered at great length when these laws were set.

It would certainly be better if no-one had to work. But, inevitably, there are some occupations that have to be "on-call". It is like a surgeon, even on his days off, he may still be on call for emergencies. It is regrettable, but goes with the territory. Great efforts used to be made to ensure that only a bare minimum skeleton staff of such essential workers had to be rostered on.

But you cannot compare some old bint demanding that she be allowed to buy plants with what Spudchucka or SpeedMedic do?

The real rot set in when they (very illadvisedly) bowed to the demands of the tourist industry and allowed "tourist-centric" places to stay open. I never could see the logic of that - why should a tourist be accorded preferential treatment.

Haven't you heard of 'annual leave' ?

Uh-huh - And if you accept (as you appear to) that workers should not be entitled to statutory holidays, why assume they will be entitled to annual leave? The capitalists would like to get that removed even more than stat days.Along with sick leave, minimum wages , health and safety and every thing else that stands in the way of making the maximum profit they can, to be sent back overseas.

The reason shops are closed is because of the UNIONS.

Yep. And proud of it. The reason that ANY New Zealanders have a higher standard of living than the workers in China or Fiji (for example) is because of the unions.

Enjoy your annual leave over Christmas ? Unions got that for you. Had time off sick ? Unions won that for you. Nobody lost a limb at your workplace recently? They would have if unions hadn't fought for safe workplaces.

Remove the protections that the unions stand behind and inexorably you will see living standards devcline until they level out at those prevalent in Asia. While capitalists (exported) profits soar.

[Jantar]

That is a very valid point, and one that was always considered at great length when these laws were set.

It would certainly be better if no-one had to work. But, inevitably, there are some occupations that have to be "on-call".

Um, I'm not "on-call". I'm "at-work". As is Highlander and a few others here. I was on duty 07:00 to 19:00 yesterday, same again today. Tomorrow and Monday its 19:00 to 07:00, "at-work" not "on-call".

The whole idea that there are fixed days that everyone can have off are long gone. Rather we now recognise that there are som "special" days that people like to spend with family and friends, and those people who are required to work, are compensated with additional remuneration and alternative time off.

However I do agree that where an industry is non essential then people should be given the opotion of working or not. They shouldn't be compelled to work, and if they chose, then they should be rewarded accordingly.

[Highlander]

Great efforts used to be made to ensure that only a bare minimum skeleton staff of such essential workers had to be rostered on.

That would be Jantar and Myself, as for anual leave, you still need to convince one of the others that you need the weekend off more than they do.

The real rot set in when they (very illadvisedly) bowed to the demands of the tourist industry and allowed "tourist-centric" places to stay open. I never could see the logic of that - why should a tourist be accorded preferential treatment.

Try buying Alcohol in Muslim countries. People still go there. If you know the place is going to be closed at a certain time or on a certain day you organise your holiday around it.

edit: Jantar you type faster than me do you use both hands or sumint? and the aditional remnuneration is often not worth it.

[SuperDave]

Miss Sarah Clapp can get fucked.

[Ixion]

Coming back to the original argument, that people should not have a day's holiday on Good Friday because it is a "religious day". A lot of rides are held on Sundays. Because,most of you (not all) have a holiday on Sundays. How come , then, because that holiday, Sunday , is also a "religious " day. "Six days shalt thou labour, but the seventh thou shalt hold holy"

Grab the holiday that's going , bugger why it's given. Just don't argue to deny others what you yourself are enjoying, a day of lesuire.

And say a special "thank you" to those whose jobs are so essential that they cannot have the day off. And that should be limited to those who really are indispensable.

[MSTRS:Me]

And say a special "thank you" to those whose jobs are so essential that they cannot have the day off. And that should be limited to those who really are indispensable.

Yep. I need to get groceries (and not at dairy prices). A few beers at the off-license. A new tee-shirt. Some parts for the bike. Petrol. A dvd to watch on my day off. Do my banking. Get a wof for the cage. A new tyre for the kid's bicycle. Some paint for the back fence. Check out that new model Akai stereo. A few flowers & shrubs for the garden.
Damn - most were closed. Least I could get gas for a ride.

[Kickaha]

Um, I'm not "on-call". I'm "at-work". As is Highlander and a few others here. I was on duty 07:00 to 19:00 yesterday, same again today. Tomorrow and Monday its 19:00 to 07:00, "at-work" not "on-call".

Shouldn't have let that little shit K14 have time off then, what's the use of having a new boy if he doesn't get all the crap jobs

[Big Dave]

Coming back to the original argument, that people should not have a day's holiday on Good Friday because it is a "religious day". A lot of rides are held on Sundays. Because,most of you (not all) have a holiday on Sundays. How come , then, because that holiday, Sunday , is also a "religious " day. "Six days shalt thou labour, but the seventh thou shalt hold holy"

Okay - I thought - good point - but....
I'm not going to be prosecuted for opening my business on an ordinary Sunday?

I'm digging the holiday, but I still can't get past 'if your business does not observe this religious festival - we will punish you.' doesn't sound right to me.

Maybe it's Cohen's law.

[James Deuce]

Personally I LOVE the compulsory holidays. They feel like SAturdays and Sundays when I was a kid. Sod all traffic, and a wonderful quiet feel. OMG you have to plan to have enough groceries in the house to feed people for 24 hours (or go to the gas station and pay 120% of RRP)!

[Big Dave]

Sod all traffic,

I rode north on 16 yesterday and it was bumper to bumper all the way

[Motu]

For a small fee I could of told you that.....

[Drunken Monkey]

Uh-huh - And if you accept (as you appear to) that workers should not be entitled to statutory holidays, why assume they will be entitled to annual leave? The capitalists would like to get that removed even more than stat days.Along with sick leave, minimum wages , health and safety and every thing else that stands in the way of making the maximum profit they can, to be sent back overseas.

Utter rubbish.

[sunhuntin]

the industry i work it never closes [petrol stations] so that means we dont really get the choice whether to have stat days off or not....if we're rostered to work, then goddam we will work!
today is my last day off for 2 weeks and i will likely be doing at least one 11 hour shift in that time. we dont get breaks, simply cos theres no time for it. if we eat, we get a mouthful at a time. literally.

i took a week off last week for my birthday, but i know it will be ages before i get that chance again. i work with staff that have been there for ages and get denied annual leave simply cos theres no one to cover it. we had one staff member walk out and another died....they havent and wont be replaced. public holidays at 2 of our sites, there will be only one staff member and self service. i will be refusing to work if im on it alone.

ixion, i agree with everything you said. youve got it right....while im happy to work most stat days, i will be declining hours/applying for that day off if i can.