Slovakia 18, Britain 8. No, this is not the latest score from the Eurovision Song Contest (although our performances there have been equally woeful of late) but the number of bank holidays enjoyed in the respective countries. Throughout the rest of the EU only the Dutch are as mean with their workforce!



Following a survey conducted by the TUC in June of this year, – which sought to gauge the popularity of a number of alternative days for a new public holiday - the organisation believes that the UK economy could comfortably absorb 11 bank holidays a year, thus bringing us up to the European average.



There are those who hold the opposite view claiming such a move would impact heavily on productivity, particularly where small businesses are concerned. A separate poll by law firm Peninsula revealed the predictable news that while 80 per cent of small businesses were against any bank holidays, 97 per cent of employees were in favour.



Managing Director of Peninsula, Peter Donne, comments:



“It could cost small firms dearly in having to pay for employees to have a day off while losing productivity.”



Mr Donne did concede, however, that national holidays do much to boost staff morale and this seems to be the crux of the TUC’s argument. TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, said:



“In the past, bosses have wildly exaggerated the costs of introducing more bank holidays, but our calculations suggest that the UK can well afford to bring in extra days. If we were all able to take a few extra days off work, rather than losing out, employers would benefit from less stressed, more contented, productive staff.”



Considering that England and Wales have just had their last national bank holiday until Christmas, sympathies tend to lean towards the position of the TUC! The results of its online poll showed that the autumn half term and the national Saints’ day of England, Scotland and Wales were the most popular option for days off.