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date: 20 April 2011

embargo: For immediate release

Still time for employers to offer paid leave or overtime on royal wedding day

The TUC has today (Wednesday) called on employers to ensure that workers do not lose out on the royal wedding bank holiday, and on the government to change the law so that everyone can enjoy the Queens diamond jubilee bank holiday next year.

The TUC is concerned that a minority of employers are intending to treat the royal wedding holiday as just another working day.

Examples of companies treating the royal wedding bank holiday as a normal working include Cumbrian-based manufacturing company Thomas Armstrong, while more than 100 NHS trusts are refusing to pay staff their contracted overtime rates.

The last government helped workers who would not otherwise get any time off for bank holidays by increasing the national minimum statutory paid annual leave entitlement from 4 weeks to 5.6 weeks, and stipulating that the increased entitlement included bank holidays.

However, no provision was made to increase this entitlement in years when a special bank holiday is called, leaving workers to rely on their employers to choose to offer an extra day's leave or overtime for those that need to work.

There is still time for employers to do the right thing and give staff paid leave on 29 April, says the TUC.

But for those who are working on the royal wedding bank holiday, including retail and emergency services staff, the TUC believes that employers should offer an extra day's leave and their contracted overtime rate.

The TUC has written to Business Secretary Vince Cable calling on him to changing the law on special bank holidays by making a simple amendment to the working time regulations. While too late for the royal wedding bank holiday this year, this change will ensure that the same problem does not arise again for the bank holiday to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee on 5 June 2012.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'While most people are likely to get paid leave on 29 April as a result of their employer's goodwill, a significant minority of tight-fisted companies have decided to ignore the national mood and insist on keeping staff chained to their desks while everyone else is enjoying the bank holiday.

'Not offering paid leave or overtime will rebound on employers as they risk demoralising their workforce and damaging their reputation amongst their customers.

'We have today asked the government to raise the minimum standard for paid holidays to ensure workers are legally entitled to receive at least a day off in lieu if they are asked to work on the Queen's diamond jubilee holiday next year.

'This would be a popular measure that would help millions more people celebrate the Queen's jubilee.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- According to Unite at least 115 NHS trusts have refused to offer bank holiday pay rates on 29 Aprilhttp://tinyurl.com/3goxquf.

- The GMB has found a number of companies that have told staff to work on 29 April www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/5th_firm_says_work_royal_weddi.aspx

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: egibson@tuc.org.uk

Press release (600 words) issued 20 Apr 2011