2.5 times higher earnings on Sundays and holidays. Regardless of the industry

• The Trade Union Związkowa Alternatywa appeals to create clear regulations that assume a decent wage equivalent for all work on Sundays and public holidays, regardless of the industry.
• - We propose that all employees who perform their professional duties on public holidays receive wages 2.5 times higher than for work on weekdays - says Piotr Szumlewicz, chairman of the Trade Union Związkowa Alternatywa.
• As he recalls, the 2018 act restricted Sunday trading, but gave the green light to opening many stores on public holidays, whereas previously there was a ban.

The Trade Union Związkowa Alternatywa reminds us that Corpus Christi is another official holiday, which for hundreds of thousands of employees of trade, catering, entertainment, health care, tourism, police, culture, energy and transport was a working day. It will be similar on August 15 .

Piotr Szumlewicz, chairman of the Trade Union Związkowa Alternatywa, emphasizes that most of these employees do not receive any special bonuses for their work . However, as lifestyles change, more and more Poles use catering outlets, cultural institutions or hotels on holidays. - Few people remember the employees who serve the needs of citizens on these days - says Piotr Szumlewicz.

In our opinion, universal, clear regulations are needed that assume a decent salary equivalent for all work on Sundays and public holidays, regardless of the industry. Therefore, instead of the current legal mess regarding Sunday trading, we propose that all employees who perform their professional duties on public holidays receive 2.5 times higher salaries than for work on weekdays. This would apply to both Sundays and public holidays.

- says chairman Piotr Szumlewicz.

Chairman Piotr Szumlewicz recalls that in recent years the Law and Justice government has changed the regulations regarding holiday work in trade, but these were regulations liberalizing the law previously in force.

The 2018 Act restricted Sunday trading, but gave the green light to open many stores on public holidays (previously there was a ban). In addition, in 2021, the Act was amended to allow work on Sundays and public holidays for... free.

- reminds chairman Piotr Szumlewicz.

- Part of the ruling coalition promised changes in the direction we proposed, but unfortunately there are still no specifics - adds the chairman of the Trade Union Alternative.

The Act of 10 January 2018 on the restriction of trade on Sundays and public holidays and on certain other days entered into force on 1 March 2018. In accordance with its provisions, the ban on trade and carrying out activities related to trade, as well as the ban on entrusting an employee or hired person with work in trade and carrying out activities related to trade in commercial establishments does not apply to, among others:

• in the case of pharmacies,
• at gas stations,
• in retail outlets where the predominant activity is trading in souvenirs or devotional items.

The act also states that the ban does not apply to retail outlets where trade is conducted by an entrepreneur who is a natural person exclusively in person, in his/her own name and on his/her own account . As added - as Chairman Szumlewicz reminds - this entrepreneur on public holidays may use the free assistance of his/her spouse, own children, spouse's children, adopted children, parents, stepmother, stepfather, siblings, grandchildren, grandparents. The persons listed cannot be employees or employed in a retail outlet by the entrepreneur who uses their free assistance.