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Attention: planning and industrial correspondents

UK has least bank holidays in Europe - TUC wants three more a year

Britain’s workers get the lowest number of bank holidays and the least statutory annual leave in Europe, according to the TUC, which is calling for an extra three bank holiday a year.

British workers enjoy only eight bank holidays a year compared to 12 in Italy, 13 in Austria and up to 14 in Spain and Portugal. Britain and the Netherlands have the least public holidays amongst EU countries, although Dutch workers at least have the right to be paid for their public holidays.

• the UK is bottom of the European league on annual holidays too - combining statutory public holidays (those where workers have the right by law to time off) and statutory annual leave puts the UK 13 days behind the EU average.

• In the UK, workers have no statutory rights to bank holidays, having to rely instead on the generosity of their employers. Whilst this is the case with some of the European bank holidays, the majority are statutory days which employees are entitled, by law, to take.

• Most EU countries have a minimum standard of compensation for working on public holidays, usually a choice of a premium rate or time off in lieu. But UK employees don’t have this.

• When it comes to holiday entitlement, British workers are better off in a union. The average trade union member gets 29 days a year compared to 23 days for non-union members.

TUC General Secretary John Monks said: 'UK workers have the shortest holidays and the lowest productivity in Northern Europe. So offering more holidays makes sense for employers too because well-rested workers are more productive. British workers need proper time off work as much as their European colleagues but once again they are at the bottom of the EU pile.'

Public holidays in EU

Source: IDS Europe and www.startinbusiness.co.uk

* plus an extra day for Golden Jubilee 2002 only

• EU: public holidays and legal minimum annual leave combined#

# based on worker undertaking 5-day working week

Notes to Editors:

Employees in Northern Ireland have 10 public holidays a year, putting them fifth from bottom on the league table. Any references to UK cover UK law, such as the regulations on the Working Time Directive.

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

A series of TUC rights leaflets, including advice on working time and holiday rights, are available on our website and from the know your rights line 0870 600 4 882. Lines are open every day from 8am-10pm. Calls are charged at the national rate.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: 020 7467 1248, email media@tuc.org.uk or page 07699 744 115 over the weekend of 4,5 & 6 May 2002.

Other enquiries: Paul Sellers 020 7467 1302 or email psellers@tuc.org.uk

Press release (600 words) issued 3 May 2002