The Labour Party have urged the Government to make Good Friday a permanent public holiday for all workers, ending its status as merely discretionary.
Good Friday is not currently a public holiday, and while some schools and businesses close for the day, workers have no automatic entitlement to time off work that day.
Now representatives of the Labour Party are calling for the Christian holiday, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus to be made a public holiday.
Labour spokesperson Marie Sherlock has urged Government to end the discretionary treatment of Good Friday by introducing it as a permanent public holiday for all workers:
“The situation as it stands is deeply unfair for workers. There are some employers who treat Good Friday as a discretionary day, however we know that the majority of workers in retail, tourism and hospitality fail to benefit from this
.
“Labour is calling on Government to make Good Friday a bank holiday for all workers to provide equality across the board. It’s deeply unfair that some workers benefit due to the benevolence of their employer, while others do not.
“The failure to regularise the situation points to a Government out of touch with many workers in the economy. Even if a worker is rostered to work on a public holiday, they are entitled to a benefit either by additional annual leave at another time or additional pay
.
“Extra public holidays are just one way of improving life for workers in Ireland.”
All workers deserve a break.
Labour is calling on Government to make Good Friday a bank holiday for all workers to provide equality across the board.
Public holidays are just one way of improving life for workers in Ireland.
Full Statement here 🌹: https://t.co/UtP8gDGzP9 pic.twitter.com/JFFj6BD7zB
— The Labour Party Ireland (@labour) April 3, 2023
