10,000 petition for International Women’s Day bank holiday

Employment Minister Gerry Sutcliffe will be handed a 10,000 strong petition calling for International Women’s Day (Tuesday March 8) to be made a bank holiday in the UK.

The Transport and General Workers’ Union, which organised the petition, claims that an extra bank holiday would be “a way of improving the lives of all working people and demonstrating a real commitment to equality for women”.

Diana Holland, T&G national organiser for women, race and equalities, said: “Making International Women’s Day a public holiday as recommended by the United Nations is a great way to celebrate women’s achievements and to commit ourselves to ending discrimination against women.

“Millions will benefit from Labour’s pledge to add bank holidays to annual holidays. Women are nearly twice as likely to gain from this change, and part-time workers are four times as likely to gain – a real commitment to equality and justice at work.”