More than 500,000 Poles have supported the civic draft law intended to put limitations on trade on Sundays. The signatures were submitted to the Speaker of the Polish Parliament, (Sejm), Marek Kuchcińskiemu. The bill is working its way through the Sejm.
“Employees in the Polish commerce sector are eagerly waiting for this law to come into force as soon as possible” said Alfred Bujara, the President of the Solidarity Commerce trade union and the chairman of the Legislative Initiative Committee as he delivered the signatures in the Parliament.
“This bill has the support of the society,” said Bujara. “Poles willingly signed the project, including employees in the commerce sector. They are overworked. They do not even want any additional bonus for working on Sundays. They want this day to spend it with their families.” Poland has a lack of workers with shortages at bout 20 percent. So limiting Sunday trading won’t create layoffs.
The initiative came from the Solidarity Trade Union, which is strongly Catholic. It was also encouraged by the ruling party. Other trade unions and employers organizations including the Polish Craft Association, Catholic Action, Polish Chamber of Liquid Fuels and the Polish Group of Supermarkets.
As usual the bill includes numerous exceptions allowing trade on Sundays at gas/petrol stations, bakeries, newsagents and shops in railway stations and airports. The bill also exempts family run shops as long as the sales are conducted by their owners and also seven Sundays per year preceding Christmas and Easter, etc.
Sunday closing and Sunday rest laws are part of the elevation of Sunday, which will lead to Sunday worship laws and anti-Sabbath laws.
“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:7, 8.