A Cumbria company has come under fire from the GMB after staff complained that they had been ordered to work on the day of the forthcoming royal wedding, which has been declared a bank holiday.
Maryport-based Thomas Armstrong is the fifth organisation to attract criticism from the union in recent weeks, after Interfloor, CPM Group and local councils in North Ayrshire and the Highlands confirmed staff would be expected to work on April 29th 2011.
“What a killjoy way to operate,” said northern regional organiser Kevin Young. “The least the company could do is stop penny pinching, give workers a break and then get on with the business after the royal wedding.”
Mr Young claimed too many UK managers were hesitant or outright unwilling to allow workers to take bank holidays off work. The company insists that those who wish to join in the festivities will have to go through the normal holiday booking procedure.
Earlier this month, the GMB revealed that North Ayrshire Council had rejected guidance from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities advising members to give employees a paid day’s holiday for the wedding.
Posted by Hayley Edwards