Hungarian shopping ban

[Famous Mortimer]

http://news.yahoo.com/hungarians-face-ban-shopping-most-sundays-nights-182159188.html

What the hell is up with that?

[Famous Mortimer]

In the United States, some localities won't allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays but that's it. Even with that though, it's the law but basically every single person thinks it's stupid except for bar owners.

Never would we imagine closing stores on Sunday. Hell, hypothetically that's when people are supposed to be off work and have a chance to actually go shopping. Why would you inconvenience people on 50% of their days off?

[Famous Mortimer]

In the United States, some localities won't allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays but that's it. Even with that though, it's the law but basically every single person thinks it's stupid except for bar owners.

Never would we imagine closing stores on Sunday. Hell, hypothetically that's when people are supposed to be off work and have a chance to actually go shopping. Why would you inconvenience people on 50% of their days off?

Sure, but why would you imagine Hungary to be anything like the US?

I wouldn't assume anyone would ban shopping on Sunday because it's universally stupid.

[Famous Mortimer]

Good.

Sunday and night shopping needs to be banned and thankfully I live in a country were it is.

A backwards and unnecessary way to do things.  It was a serious major drawback of Germany and Austria...how much the church encroaches on your life

I don't see what the church has to do with it.

Take me for example, someone who hates the church and still wants Sunday shopping banned.

A) Like Charlotte said, it ruins family life because with the Sunday ban families have at least 1 common day off each week where they can do something together. Also, with Sunday work it would be almost impossible to do something with friends as we would all have other days off from work and not a common one.

B) people can shop for 6 days, so a 7th is not needed.

C) In the case of Austria, an employer would have to pay 200% the wage to an employee working on Sundays, much like someone who works on a public holiday ("Feiertagszuschlag"), making Sunday work basically a zero-sum game for the employers with virtually more losses than revenue.

A) I think if you're going to have family time, it should be organic, not just "oh well, everything is closed, I guess we have to talk to each other"

B) 5 of those 6 days, they are working, so it's mucher harder to shop. Also, just the idea that you can ban a harmless activity one day of the week because it's legal "for 6 days" is ridiculous logic you wouldn't apply to any other issue. Let's ban public protests one day of the week. It's okay, you can have freedom of assembly 6 other days.

C) That's a pretty harsh law. You could 1) get rid of it 2) keep it but still give people the freedom to stay open. Plus, they'll make plenty of money if they're on the few places open.


Seriously, this is a crazy law. I can't believe people are defending this. I assume it's just a knee jerk defense of their own local traditions.

[Famous Mortimer]

Sunday shopping has been legal in my province for only a decade. This isn't that odd.

I prefer Sunday as a day of rest for obvious reason, but there are plenty of non-religious reasons to close shops one day a week.

There might be reasons businesses choose not to open their stores on Sunday, is that a reason to mandate closing by law?

[Famous Mortimer]

Sunday shopping has been legal in my province for only a decade. This isn't that odd.

I prefer Sunday as a day of rest for obvious reason, but there are plenty of non-religious reasons to close shops one day a week.

There might be reasons businesses choose not to open their stores on Sunday, is that a reason to mandate closing by law?

You could say the same thing about paid sick leave and health insurance. Not having to work odd hours is a benefit to workers.

Working Sunday isn't anymore odd than working any other day. Why not mandate no one work after 5? I agree people in the service industry have it rough, their schedules get moved around too much but it's the nature of the industry that the hours have to be SOMEWHAT odd. Stores need to be open when people aren't working and have time to shop. Sunday is one of those times.

[Famous Mortimer]

Again, "people can get used to the inconvenience" isn't a very good argument for making a law.

Let's ban laundromats on Wednesdays. No taking a shower after 9pm. It's stupid but don't worry, people will get used to it.

[Famous Mortimer]

Incredible how many posters here act like whores to the big corporations and capitalists, instead of being advocates for the workers.

Why should I or a friend of mine crawl into the ass of my boss each Sunday I want to lets say play tennis with a friend of mine, just to get a day off ?

Why should a mother of 2 crawl into the ass of her boss and ask for a Sunday off, because she wants to go skiing with her kids - which she cannot weekdays because they are at school ?

Think about it. The American Way of Life is not always the best to emulate. Our way of life is sometimes not bad either and the laws exist for a reason. If people were able to shop their stuff from Monday to Saturday for the past 5 million years of human existance, why should we open the shops for another day ? Don't be a corporate whore and asocial, be social.

Mandatory Sunday off is bad for workers too. What if they want Tuesday off instead? Or Friday? Now they have 24 less hours to make up the time they lost.

Don't screw over customers and workers just because it screws over employers too. That's pettiness.

[Famous Mortimer]

I'm with you people let's start a anti-religious Kulturkampf whose major result is to make life worse for low income service workers, but will make life a little easier for urban professionals.

Low income service workers need to go shopping too. Having options is good. Options when to shop, options when to take their days off.