Each year the market needs to make decisions about whether they trade on public holidays or days in lieu of public holidays. There are a number of factors to consider and often there will be different decisions made for different sections of the market. There have been recent occasions when food has closed on a public holiday but General Merchandise remained open.
Trading decisions are made in the TAC (Trader's Advisory Committee) and up until now, trader's representatives have adopted a fairly simple approach on behalf of General Merchandise Traders. If traders are allowed to trade - we will trade. This is loosely based on an entrepreneurial philosophy that, if there are customers around, we will serve them. Public holidays are often related to increased tourism and basically traders have been willing to grasp any opportunity to improve their sales. Understandably, SL traders are particularly keen to trade because they are paying rent for that day no matter what decision is made by the rest of the market.
Recently there has been some wavering from that philosophy by some traders who feel that hard working traders also deserve a holiday. What do you think? Should we stick with our traditional philosophy? Or would you prefer to consider each occasion on its merits? In other words would you prefer that the market surveyed all traders, say once a year, to determine how we handle each public holiday in the coming year.
Let us have your thoughts. Decisions will soon be made about the upcoming Christmas/New Year trading period.
Have Your Say - click here
COMMENTS:
19/9/2102 1358 Trading On Public Holidays – “I suspect any
change of heart by traders is due more to poor business results than anything
else. If business was booming we wouldn’t be giving up any trading days.
Adjusting to the realities of current retailing conditions is OK as long as it
doesn’t dig our hole a little deeper.”
19/09/2012 15:23:44 "I don't think we should trade on new years day or Australia day as a lot of us will be either drunk or hungover and definitely not Anzac day as a mark of respect for those who fought for our country. "
20/09/2012 05:40:57 trading on public holidays "Trading on 'public holidays' is our given rite!! whether it be SL or PE traders.the "office" decided about 15 years ago "they" didnt want to work on the extra days b'cos they needed a break.The 'office' then approached the food traders(fruit,veg,meat hall and delis) who said they didnt want to work,but when the 'general' traders got the opportunity to trade,they were told there will be no food traders!! as the 'office' think they are the attraction to people coming to US! so in conclusion, we were and ARE doomed to fail once you take something away of course u forget about it as is the case here".
Ed: Actually, general merchandise traders have regained the right to trade in recent times. There have been a number of occasions when management have proposed that we close for public holidays, but our TAC representatives insisted on trading, even if food had decided to close. The most recent examples included Anzac Day 2011 (holiday in lieu on a Tuesday), and Boxing Day 2012 (holiday in lieu on a Tuesday) when General Merchandise traded without food - both were considered successful trading days.
So management have been prepared to let us trade on public holidays but some traders are now questioning whether we should. This article is designed to clarify traders wishes as we move into a new holiday season.
19/09/2012 2130 on GMT facebook - "Let's see what other tourist destinations do - zoo, eureka sky deck, aquarium, gallery, museum - I bet they are all open"
20/09/2012 21:58:23 Trading on public holiday "19/09/2012 15:23:44 ""I don't think we should trade on new years day or Australia day as a lot of us will be either drunk or hungover and definitely not Anzac day as a mark of respect for those who fought for our country. "
"I do too agreed with this comment above, sometime money should'n come first given the fact that we have been in bad business condition. Think about your life and your family on those days as well. I just hope public holiday will simply be the same to us just like all others workers or offices."
21/9/2012 17:32:20 Trading On Public Holiday - "Sorry, but if you want to trade and have holidays like other workers and offices you are in the wrong industry. You can't have your cake and eat it too."
19/09/2012 15:23:44 "I don't think we should trade on new years day or Australia day as a lot of us will be either drunk or hungover and definitely not Anzac day as a mark of respect for those who fought for our country. "
20/09/2012 05:40:57 trading on public holidays "Trading on 'public holidays' is our given rite!! whether it be SL or PE traders.the "office" decided about 15 years ago "they" didnt want to work on the extra days b'cos they needed a break.The 'office' then approached the food traders(fruit,veg,meat hall and delis) who said they didnt want to work,but when the 'general' traders got the opportunity to trade,they were told there will be no food traders!! as the 'office' think they are the attraction to people coming to US! so in conclusion, we were and ARE doomed to fail once you take something away of course u forget about it as is the case here".
Ed: Actually, general merchandise traders have regained the right to trade in recent times. There have been a number of occasions when management have proposed that we close for public holidays, but our TAC representatives insisted on trading, even if food had decided to close. The most recent examples included Anzac Day 2011 (holiday in lieu on a Tuesday), and Boxing Day 2012 (holiday in lieu on a Tuesday) when General Merchandise traded without food - both were considered successful trading days.
So management have been prepared to let us trade on public holidays but some traders are now questioning whether we should. This article is designed to clarify traders wishes as we move into a new holiday season.
19/09/2012 2130 on GMT facebook - "Let's see what other tourist destinations do - zoo, eureka sky deck, aquarium, gallery, museum - I bet they are all open"
20/09/2012 21:58:23 Trading on public holiday "19/09/2012 15:23:44 ""I don't think we should trade on new years day or Australia day as a lot of us will be either drunk or hungover and definitely not Anzac day as a mark of respect for those who fought for our country. "
"I do too agreed with this comment above, sometime money should'n come first given the fact that we have been in bad business condition. Think about your life and your family on those days as well. I just hope public holiday will simply be the same to us just like all others workers or offices."
21/9/2012 17:32:20 Trading On Public Holiday - "Sorry, but if you want to trade and have holidays like other workers and offices you are in the wrong industry. You can't have your cake and eat it too."