Jill Bint, of First Union, and Dunedin City councillor Andrew Whiley speak after the council voted to relax Easter Sunday trading rules.

Historical trading restrictions on Easter Sunday have proved no match for the star power of Ed Sheeran.

The Dunedin City Council has voted to allow shops to trade on the prominent religious holiday, coinciding with three Sheeran concerts in the city.

About 120,000 people – the same population as Dunedin - are expected to see Sheeran perform at Forsyth Barr Stadium across the three shows.

IAN GAVAN/GETTY IMAGES Ed Sheeran's Easter Sunday show has created controversy in Dunedin.

The shows on March 29, 31 and April 1 prompted the council to review its trading policy to allow shops to open on April 1, Easter Sunday.

The policy attracted fierce opposition and, of the 181 submission received, 54 per cent favoured the status quo of not allowing most shops to open, while 44 per cent did want shops to be able to open.

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RNZ Dunedin councillors have agreed to shops opening for the first time next Easter Sunday, to cope with an influx of Ed Sheeran concert goers, but the mayor says they will lose the right to trade if they exploit workers.

At a full council meeting on Monday morning, the council voted 10-5 in favour of the policy and would review it after 90 days.

Mayor Dave Cull said it was an "exceedingly difficult call to make", given that 60,000 to 90,000 visitors would be in Dunedin over the long weekend.

He warned employers would be "put on notice" if they abused their position to cash-in at the expense of their workers.

HAMISH McNEILLY/STUFF Union members hold banners in the public gallery as the Dunedin City Council discusses changing its Easter trading policy.

First Union's Jill Bint said she was "bitterly disappointed" by the move and unions would put pressure on central Government over the decision.

It was a concern workers had lost a holiday and would not be entitled to time-and-a-half and a day in lieu as Easter Sunday was not a public holiday.

"You've lost your holiday, now suck it up," Bint said.

During the meeting, councillor Aaron Hawkins said workers "in the real world" would be compelled to work at the expense of their families and "that should be a knock-out blow" for councillors when making their decision.

"We are trading away the right of workers to spend time with their families," he said to loud applause from the public gallery.

Cr Jim O'Malley said there were only a few days that were "sacrosanct" to workers and their families.

"There is more to life than simply turning over money."

Cr Chris Staynes said the concerts were a "red herring", as they were a one-off event.

Labour laws in New Zealand were designed to protect workers and he believed the Government should be doing more to protect vulnerable workers from "bad employers".

Cr Damian Newell said the concerts were an "amazing opportunity for the city" and he supported the decision to open.

Earlier the council heard from Unite Union organiser Sonja Mitchell, who pleaded for the council to think of "those that can't be here".

She questioned why the concerts were booked around Easter.

Mitchell warned there would be repercussions for workers who did not want to work on Easter Sunday.

Council's have had the power to allow trading on Easter Sunday since August 2016. Before that, Sunday trading was banned nationwide.

In August, Easter trading restrictions went before the Christchurch City Council, who narrowly decided to keep shops closed on Easter Sunday.

Councillors voted 8-7 not to investigate an Easter Sunday trading hours policy.

Auckland also voted against Easter Sunday trading in August, with all but one Councillor voting to keep restrictions in place.

So far, smaller towns and areas which are popular with tourists have proved to be more open to lifting the trading restrictions.

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