Despite the promise of the previous mayor, Jean-Marc Verchère, to reduce the number of Sundays worked to three in 2025, the municipal council finally validated the opening of retail businesses for four Sundays.
Angers stores will open four Sundays in 2025. – © Angers.Villactu.fr
During the municipal council on Monday, December 16, the city of Angers decided to maintain the number of Sundays on which businesses are open at four for the year 2025. This decision arouses criticism, both within the opposition and of certain unions.
“A broken promise”
In December 2023, Jean-Marc Verchère, then interim mayor of Angers during the ministerial period of Christophe Béchu, announced a gradual reduction in Sunday openings: five in 2023, four in 2024, and three in 2025. committed to removing the opening during summer sales, considering that this “ progressiveness » would reconcile economic and social expectations.
However, with the return of Christophe Béchu to town hall, this reduction was not implemented. The municipal council voted for four opening Sundays in 2025: June 29 (first Sunday of summer sales), November 30 (Black Friday), as well as December 14 and 21 (end of year holiday period). year).
The municipal opposition, led by Silvia Camara-Tombini (PS), criticized this decision, denouncing a “ reverse feeling » and recalling the commitments of Jean-Marc Verchère, as well as the “ promise is broken “. She pointed “ divergences even within the majority on the question of Sunday rest ».
For his part, Christophe Béchu defended a position “ ancient and constant », committing not to exceed five opening Sundays per year. He invoked a “ reality principle », highlighting the economic difficulties encountered by retail businesses, particularly in clothing. According to him, “ summer sales Sunday remains strategic » for these businesses.
Skeptical unions
The CFDT, which had participated in the municipal consultations, had pleaded to limit openings to three Sundays: November 30, December 14 and 21. She also proposed to supervise employee volunteering and improve access to public transport for these special days.
« Last year, Jean-Marc Verchère announced that Sunday openings should be both economically useful and socially respectful. For us, public speech and political speech have meaning. We deplore that his proposals were not accepted, and we cannot hide our disappointment to see these demands still at a standstill. », Declared the CFDT in a press release.
By Eline Vion.
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