1 in 8 risk having holiday pay undermined by new Tory plans – with millions potentially left worse off
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has published new analysis which reveals holiday pay rights for millions of workers could be weakened by new Conservative plans. Workers risk exhaustion as lower holiday pay will leave many with no choice but to forgo paid time off, the union body has warned.
Tory threats to holiday pay
The TUC has found that up to 3.5 million people – or 1 in 8 workers – are at risk of being left worse off as a result of ministers’ plans to meddle with holiday pay. The warning comes as parliament returns and the government prepares to introduce regulations reducing rights at work stemming from EU law.
Currently, the law ensures that most holiday is paid in line with workers’ normal earnings – including regular overtime, regular commission, and regular bonuses.
However, the government wants to overhaul this and is considering requiring bosses to only cover basic pay – excluding regular overtime and commission payments. This means that some workers would be paid much less than they currently are when they take their holidays.
The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force survey suggests that 3.5 million workers do regular overtime. However, all of these workers could get lower paid time off as a result of the government’s changes.
The TUC says the Conservatives’ plans would hit workers in the lowest paid occupations hardest, where regular overtime is more common. Some low-paid workers might be forced to forgo their leave altogether because they can no longer afford to take time off, the TUC warns.
Rolled-up holiday pay
Workers’ ability to take leave could also be hit by a separate government proposal – also introduced through powers in the government’s Retained EU Law Act – to allow ‘rolled up holiday pay’, according to the union body. This would rip up workers’ rights to be paid while they are on annual leave. Instead, employers could include holiday pay in a worker’s hourly pay rate, making this hourly rate slightly higher – but any holiday the worker then takes would then be unpaid.
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The union body says imposing this type of holiday pay stops low-paid workers from taking time off work because “for those struggling to put food on the table and bills, money will always come first”. It also makes it far harder for workers whose bosses refuse them time off to seek compensation from an employment tribunal.
The union body says these measures risk increasing exhaustion and illness among workers.
‘Holiday shouldn’t be the preserve of the rich’
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:
No one should be left out of pocket when they take time off. But the Tories’ plan to meddle with the way holiday pay is calculated could see millions of grafters who do regular overtime worse off when they take holiday. This would be a huge blow to working people in every corner of the country.
The last thing they need is less money when they take a well-earned break. Ministers must protect working people’s holiday pay and ditch these plans without delay.
On the risk that workers don’t take time off as a result of the changes, Nowak added:
Having time off shouldn’t be the preserve of the wealthy. But the Conservatives’ plans would force many low-paid workers to forgo holidays and time off with family. For those struggling to put food on the table and pay their bills, money will always come first – no matter how much they need a break. Working people are already working around the clock to make ends meet – and too many are exhausted.
Featured image via tommyandone – Envato Elements
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1 in 8 risk having holiday pay undermined by new Tory plans
– with millions potentially left worse off.
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Right Tory M.P. if you vote yes to pass this dodgy new law and payments rules for the private sector rich already business people
That will benefit ONLY with cash saving not us U.K taxpayer.
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ALL, You in Govt must also be under the same laws + rules as the following below has the Private sector workers are paid out of U.K. taxpayer money most get Govt funding of us U.K. taxpayer in U.K.
Wales. N-Ireland-Scotland as well were laws different setup now.
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1—All elected Govt party M.P.-Minister-P.M. alike of all parties.
2—All N.H.S. staff IN Hospital run by private trust members.
3—Public owned serves like Fire -Police-Ambulance.
4—All Govt dept within parliament taxpayer pay their wages.
5—G.P. are funded by taxpayer money also.
6—All M.P. Officers +Staff funded by taxpayer cash in local areas.
7—Private run Banks we taxpayer have shares in now.
FOOTNOTE
To Tory M.P. if this laws is passed by you brainless Tory M.P. you will also lose out eventually your income will also drop like the rest of U.K. workers employed now only way you will not lose out if you put new clauses in the bills that stop Govt M.P. -Minister being trapped in the same laws & rules we call this cooking the books by the way Tory M.P.
Is this your path of action now to make dodgy laws to prevent you Tory M.P. for this Holiday clew back cash from workers’ wages, Y-N? Tory Govt party M.P.-Minister-P.M. alike voter are watching this scam.
How does this affect all the thousands of zero hours employees. All the hours worked are additional to their contract so all holiday will be paid at zero?