Diamond Jubilee loses its sparkle for workers who miss out on paid leave

Construction union UCATT and the GMB general union are warning that thousands of workers may miss out on the extra day’s paid holiday over the Diamond Jubilee weekend.

Although the government has announced that there will be an additional bank holiday on Tuesday 5 June to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, they did not increase the holiday entitlement under the Working Time Directive. Only workers whose contracts specify they receive all bank holidays as paid leave automatically receive an extra day’s holiday.

The 500,000 construction workers covered by the largest construction industry agreement, the Construction Industry Joint Council Working Rule Agreement will be entitled to an additional day’s holiday for the Jubilee celebration. But for other workers agreement has to be reached to secure an extra day’s paid leave. Meanwhile, the GMB is urging retailer Marks and Spencer to reconsider its decision that 5 June is a normal bank holiday. M&S is paying time and a half to staff rostered to work in major stores and M&S Simply Food outlets on the day, but there is no day off in lieu.

Staff at Edinburgh Woollen Mills and Dorchester NHS Trust have also been told they will not get an extra day’s paid leave.