NathanJ: I've got good news for you Nathan. There exists a system that is tailor made for accommodating those who want to have Sunday off. It's called a FREE MARKET. You see, under a free market there are no mandatory 3rd party rules regarding rates of pay and conditions*.

So for those that sell their labour and who don't want to work on Sundays they are free to enter into an employment contract that stipulates this when they negotiate their pay and conditions. And if their potential employer wont come to the table on this then they are free to seek employment elsewhere either to do the same sort of work or to change industries.

Also, for those that are in business/self-employed then they are free open for trade on any day they choose. So they can choose to open on Sunday or not.

* To be clear: I don't support totally free markets. There should be protection for other people/businesses not directly involved in a deal. Such as for factors that affects neighbours (eg: noise pollution in the early hours, etc.). But in general, I support free markets where people/businesses are free to negotiate terms and conditions between the parties concerned without the obtruding intervention of the government.

thinkabit,
I think you should thinkabit more.
Think of the incapacitated, of those who need 24/7 care in hospitals, the power station operators, transport etc etc.
Yes, of course it'd be nice to have Sunday off but due to the afore-mentioned it can't be like that. That's why the much maligned western World has working hours. You may have to work on Sunday but you then have Monday off.
I think the present system is ok so far as hours are concerned ! All we need to do is to ensure others get their days of rest also instead of making our 'Business People' wealthy in 3rd World sweat shops !

individual: What don't you understand about what I wrote above?

It is really, really simple. If you don't wont to work on a Sunday, then under a free market system:

A) If your an employee: you can tell you employer this before you start working/sign an employment contract. And if your potential employer insists that you must work on Sundays as a non-negotiable condition of employment then you work seek elsewhere!
And on the flip side, no-one can force an employer to accept that their employees don't have to work on Sunday. They have the right just to not employ them at all and find someone who will work the times that require.

or B) If your a self-employed without a boss: You just don't open up shop.

Now, what happens in real life in is that many people in a predominately Christian based/influenced society don't want to work on a Sunday or if they do they want more pay. So this means that there in less supply of labour at the general rate so that in consequence the cost of labour raises to so that supply at a new higher price now meets demand.

But the most important point is that: No-one under a free market system can FORCE you to work on a Sunday.

No-one under a free market system can FORCE you to work on a Sunday.
thinkabit,
Really ? So, when you're on the operating table tell the medical staff "don't worry you don't have to work Sundays".
Would you tell the electricity supply people they don't have to work on Sundays or the Emergency workers ?
Not everyone has the privilege to choose when to work, society would collapse if people stopped working on Sundays.
I worked many weekends & I then got the time off during the week. It suited me fine !

thinkabit,

Actually, they can force you to work Sunday's if you
want to keep your job that is. And who doesn't?
We were forced to work Sundays and no one asked us
whether we wanted to or not. We were simply rostered
to do it - and when our turns came - we just did it
in order to keep our jobs.

Try telling your boss - nope I'm not working Sundays.
Everyone else is, but I choose not to. I wonder how
long you're going to keep your job - with that attitude.

thinkabit,

We used to have free-market conditions, Charles Dickens, for one, wrote quite a bit on the subject.