Poland to Make Christmas Eve a Public Holiday and Increase Shopping Sundays
-
Loading... - Tristan Renaud
- 06 Dec 2024
- 48 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Poland's parliament has voted to designate Christmas Eve as a public holiday starting in 2025. The legislation, passed on Wednesday, amends the existing law on days off, raising the total number of public holidays to 14 per year, excluding Sundays.
In addition to the new holiday, the legislation also increases the number of shopping Sundays in December from two to three. This change aims to provide consumers with more opportunities to shop during the holiday season. However, the decision to add an extra shopping Sunday has drawn criticism from some trade unions, particularly regarding its implications for workers' rights and well-being.
A senior official from the Solidarity trade union expressed strong opposition to the idea of exchanging an additional day off for an extra day of work, highlighting concerns about the impact on employees who may be required to work on these Sundays.
Under the current trading regulations, shops are allowed to operate until 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The new legislation will formalize Christmas Eve as a public holiday, which means that many workers will have the day off, although the increase in shopping Sundays may require some employees to work on those days.
The main opposition party, the socially conservative Law and Justice (PiS), had advocated for making December 24 a public holiday during its previous eight years in power. Their push for this change was supported by the Left, a member of the current ruling coalition, which proposed the bill.
As Poland prepares for the upcoming holiday seasons, the new legislation reflects a blend of festive spirit and ongoing discussions about labor rights and consumer access, setting the stage for a lively December in the country.
