Just when you thought we had won bragging rights over Australia and New Zealand for a short while, it turns out they have yet another reason to have a laugh at our expense. Incredibly, both our antipodean cousins get the Queen’s birthday as an official holiday whilst those in the UK are stuck in their normal daily routine.



A recent Joslin Rowe survey revealed that 67 per cent of workers were unaware of this anomaly, though once put in the picture 65 per cent said they should introduce it in the UK. Brits have every right to feel put upon when it comes to Bank holidays as despite working the longest hours in Europe, we also have the fewest national holidays.



Of all EU member States we come last with a paltry 8 bank holidays a year. This falls some way short of the European average (11), current record holders Cyprus (16) and even our neighbours Northern Ireland who are sitting pretty on 10.



These shameful statistics have inspired the Trades Union Congress to start lobbying government and launch a national campaign to secure another bank holiday for Britain’s workers. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said:



“We work the longest hours and have the fewest public holidays. It’s about time we caught up with the rest of Europe in the holiday stakes.”



The TUC has set up a poll called ‘bank holiday idol’, so workers can vote for their favourite idea for a new bank holiday. As things stand the front runners are:



1) A Monday in October – breaks up the long period between summer and Christmas where there is no public holiday.
2) Saints’ Day –England, Scotland and Wales would get separate days off, George, Andrew and David respectively.
3) A different day each year. This would allow for special celebrations such as the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in 2005.



However, before you start to dust down your Morris dancing gear and putting up your maypoles there are (typically) some out there hoping to spoil the fun. Dan Matthews, editor of businesseurope.com, champions the case against citing Britain’s low productivity/hours worked ratio. In addition he also points out that businesses are now permitted to operate on bank holidays and as there is no legal requirement for organisations to give staff bank holidays off around a quarter of employees miss out anyway.



You can add your voice to the campaign by going to www.worksmart.org.uk/holiday.