TUC calls for three extra bank holidays
The Trades Union Congress is calling today for three new bank holidays to allow millions of workers the chance to spend more time with their families.
The TUC says the UK is out of step with the rest of Europe’s 24 other countries.
European countries have on average 11 public holidays each year.
The TUC says Britons work the longest hours in Europe and have the fewest public holidays. It says more Britons are working “excessive” hours than in 1992.
The TUC claims employees “forced” to work excessively long hours invariably have “damaged” family lives with children the ones who lose out.
England and Wales have eight bank holidays while Northern Ireland has 10.
Slovakia has the most public holiday in Europe with 18, followed by Cyprus on 14.
At the start of the school half-term holidays, Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said an extra bank holiday at this time of the year would allow parents more time to spend with their children.
“Millions of employees could give our leisure and retail industries a boost or take a long weekend away and help our tourism sector. Others could simply be enjoying a well-earned extra lie-in and a very happy Monday,” he said.
The TUC points out that only people in Holland have fewer bank holidays than their counterparts in Britain, but even then Dutch workers have more annual leave.
A poll of 20,000 people for the TUC found four in 10 people wanted an extra bank holiday when the autumn half-term begins.
Holidays on patron saint days were also mooted, as was a holiday on New Year’s Eve.
International Women’s Day (March 8th), Trafalgar Day (October 21th) and Armistice Day (November 11th) were also mentioned.
To date, respondents to the Worksmart poll for the TUC would rather have a lie-in than take the family out for a day.
Others said they would have a weekend break away, play sport or enjoy their hobbies.
