Mrs Dean is introducing a private member's Bill in Parliament seeking to change the Easter trading laws.
If passed, it would allow retailers in her electorate, from the Rangitata River (but excluding Timaru and Temuka) to the boundary with the Clutha-Southland electorate (excluding the Dunedin electorates), to trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Yesterday, the union met members in Oamaru, as part of a national series of meetings to inform them about the Government's "weakening of work rights" through changes to the Employment Relations and Holidays Acts.
Easter trading was an issue unique to the Oamaru meeting, but would be raised at a Dunedin meeting on Wednesday because that will be attended by members from Central Otago, which will also be affected by Mrs Dean's legislation.
The union's southern region secretary, Paul Watson, launched a petition opposing Mrs Dean's move for members to take around the community.
Those who signed it would be "totally opposed to the opening up" of Easter to shop trading.
"Easter should be a time for workers, families, church members and communities to have time away from shopping," Mr Watson said.
Copies of the petition would also be given to Central Otago union members at the Dunedin meeting for their communities to sign.
A delegation would meet Mrs Dean and present the petition.
The union has about 100 members in Oamaru, most of them at supermarkets, major retail outlets and working for Summit Wool. Yesterday, more than 40 were at the meeting, some unable to attend because of shift work.
Workers were concerned at the extension of 90-day work trial provisions to all firms, and the proposal that allowed companies to prevent workers accessing their union official when needed, Mr Watson said.
