Morrisons to close on Boxing Day this year as thanks to key worker staff

Supermarket giant Morrisons will close its door late on Christmas Eve for two days, as workers are given an extended Christmas break.

The company usually only allows it’s stores to close on Christmas Day, but have vowed to give employees a day off on Boxing Day, as a thanks for all their hard work during the pandemic.

'Well-deserved breather'

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Bosses made the announcement to its 111,000 workers on Tuesday, 10 August.

This will be the first time since the supermarket’s founding in 1961. The move comes following the same decision being taken by competitors such as Asda, Marks & Spencer, Pets At Home, Aldi, Lidl and The Entertainer last year.

The supermarkets agreed staff deserved the day off to spend time with families and loved ones after one of the hardest years in retail, with shelves stripped bare and workers battling to keep the nation fed during the pandemic.

However, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s opted to follow a business-as-usual approach and opened their supermarkets, though some offer staff incentives to work.

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Now, Morrisons have followed suit and thanked staff with an extra day off. It comes as bids are made by private equity houses Fortress and Clayton, Dubliner & Rice (CD&R) to buy the company.

Joanne McGuiness, national officer at shop workers’ union Usdaw, said: “The last year-and-a-half has been unlike any other.

“The pandemic meant shop workers stepped up and kept essential services running. We welcome Morrisons doing the right thing by their staff with the closure of supermarkets on Boxing Day.

“Key workers have done so much this year and we are asking retailers to give their staff the longest possible break over the festive season to provide them with a well-deserved breather. We don’t think this is too much to ask for.”