British workers should have four more bank holidays a year, one of the largest workers' unions has said. The Trades Union Congress wants the increase to bring the UK in line with other European countries which enjoy an average 12.3 public holidays a year.
The body says the extra days off would be a reward for a "nation of grafters". It comes after the TUC claimed that UK firms claimed £27 billion of free labour last year in unpaid overtime.
Of our European counterparts, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Cyprus top the table with 15 bank holidays per year. England and Wales typically get eight bank holidays a year while Scotland and Northern Ireland have nine or 10, depending on the timing of New Year and their patron saint days, reported The Mirror.
The call for more public holidays follows Tory leadership candidate's leaked audio stating she believes UK workers need “more graft” as they lack the “skill and application” of those elsewhere.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Some politicians have been calling UK workers lazy but we work some of the longest hours in Europe. And we get the fewest public holidays.
"Instead of insulting workers, let’s show more gratitude to our nation of grafters.”
Ms Truss has said that she "did not recognise" the leaked remarks which were made while she was Chief Secretary to the Treasury between 2017 and 2019. She previously faced anger over Britannia Unchained, a book she co-authored with four other Tory MPs in 2012 and which described British staff as “the worst idlers in the world”.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, tipped to be Chancellor if Ms Truss wins, was also a contributor to Britannia Unchained. Boris Johnson snubbed calls by Labour leader Keir Starmer for an extra bank holiday this year to celebrate England’s Women’s Euros win.
The Government said: “The current pattern of public and bank holidays is well established and while an additional holiday may benefit some, the cost to the economy is considerable.”
