Staff told: 'No paid jubilee leave'

Feb 7 2012

A leading clothing retailer has told its staff they will not be able to take a paid day's leave for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in the summer, a union claimed.

The GMB accused Edinburgh Woollen Mill of being "mean" towards its staff, based at the head office in Langholm in the Scottish Borders as well as hundreds of stores across the UK.

The Government has announced that the late May bank holiday will be moved to Monday June 4 and an extra bank holiday will be added on Tuesday June 5, offering the chance of a four-day break.

The union said managers have told staff they can take June 5 off using existing holiday entitlement, adding that most employees will be at work, receiving no extra pay.

Many employers have already confirmed that they will give their staff the additional day's paid holiday and that staff working on that day will be paid premium rates and a day in lieu, according to the GMB.

General secretary Paul Kenny said: "This is a mean act towards hard-working and loyal staff particularly since they will be opening their shops to take advantage of the fact that everybody else will be enjoying an additional holiday that day.

"The least they can do is give their staff an additional day's holiday, and those who work should get premium rates of pay for that day plus an additional day of holiday."

No one was available to comment from the company.