Bank holiday will be too disruptive, workers told

A company came under attack after telling its workers they will not automatically have the day off for the Royal Wedding even though it will be a Bank Holiday.

The GMB union said its members at precast concrete firm CPM Group had been told that because of the current economic situation, and the number of Bank Holidays in April and May, closing down on April 29 would be too disruptive.

Employees can take a day from their holidays, with the approval of their line manager, if they want to be off when Prince William marries Kate Middleton, said the union.

GMB official Rachelle Wilkins said blaming the economic situation was a “pathetic excuse”, adding: “The company are currently working overtime and have recently employed agency staff due to an increase in volume of work.

“The real reason the company is trying to enforce this decision is because it have been advised by an outside human resources service after they had looked over the terms and conditions of employment that the company could refuse to apply this special Bank Holiday.

“This is a total and utter abuse of the working time directive and the law surrounding bank holidays. I urge the company to rethink their somewhat uncharitable decision.”

There are currently eight bank holidays in the UK, so April 29 will be an extra day off this year. It means workers will enjoy two long weekends in a row because April 29 is on the Friday before the May Bank Holiday and follows Easter weekend.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “Most people are likely to get paid leave on April 29 either because of their contract or their employer’s goodwill. It would be a very tight-fisted and foolish employer who decided to ignore the national mood and insisted on keeping staff chained to their desks when the rest of the country is off enjoying the bank holiday.”