Working at the weekend: supermarket and shopping centre workers in Salford/Manchester (UK) and Porto (Portugal)

Abstract

This paper firstly discusses the origins and importance of 'the weekend' in the 'industrial' cities of Manchester (UK) and Porto (Portugal). Drawing on previous work specifically focused on this subject, it examines the spatio-temporal shifts evident during the industrial revolution, which produced a more 'disciplined' labour process. Work and leisure were, thereafter, constituted as separate domains, the weekend being a designated leisure time and space. We consider the more recent temporal shift, generated through the processes of flexibilisation, which, we argue, renders 'the weekend' as we understand it, under threat. We discuss this through the presentation and analysis of testimony from workers, those working in a supermarket in Salford/Manchester and in shopping centres in Porto. Our conversations, in the form of semi-structured interviews, with workers in these locations led us to questions of 'social time' and whether there is any longer, recognition of 'time for ourselves'.

Country Differences in Nocturnal Sleep Variability: Observations from a Large-scale, Long-term Sleep Wearable Study

“…The development of the weekend in Western Europe 78 and the efforts of labour and trade unions to limit working hours and to provide labour protection have resulted in a sharp distinction between work and non-work time in Europe and, to a lesser extent, the USA and Canada 79 . In these regions, weekends are regarded as a time for socializing with family and friends (often until late at night); relaxed days and weekend lie-ins are common 78,80 . While weekends are observed in most industrial nations, in countries without a history of strong labour protection laws, and where loss of employment is a more significant threat to livelihood because of limited social welfare, work is often longer and more integrated with other aspects of life.…”

Within-person day-of-week effects on affective and evaluative/cognitive well-being among Koreans.

“…People in industrialized societies arrange their lifestyles according to a cycle of workdays and weekends, which is associated with systematic variations in many aspects of life, ranging from stock investments (Kiymaz & Berument, 2003) to leisure activities (Ebrey & Cruz, 2014). The interest of the present study was emotional experiences following this cycle.…”