Senator Marie Sherlock has called on the Government to 'end the discretionary treatment' of Good Friday by introducing it as a permanent public holiday for all workers.
While many people assume that bank holidays and public holidays are one and the same thing, that is not always the case.
Oftentimes, public holidays and bank holidays land on the same day, but not on Good Friday and Christmas Eve, which are not covered by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which outlines the set public holidays.
While Good Friday - which occurs on March 29 this year - is not an official public holiday and is a normal working day in the Republic of Ireland, schools and some businesses do close on that day.
READ MORE: Good Friday: Is it a Bank Holiday in Ireland and am I entitled to extra pay
The banks are closed on Good Friday, so workers there are given the day off, while public sector workers also get the day off.
Senator Marie Sherlock, Labour workers’ rights spokesperson, has said that the 'situation as it stands is deeply unfair for workers', as she urged the Government to make Good Friday a permanent public holiday for all workers.
"There is always confusion among workers as to whether Good Friday counts as public holiday, or not," said Senator Sherlock.
"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 public 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. Hard work deserves reward. 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. So, while some businesses opt to close that day, not every worker is treated the same. We need to fix this."
Senator Sherlock continued: “We know the benefit of public holidays to workers – with additional time to rest, relax, spend quality time with friends and family – but also the benefit to the economy as a whole.
“Extra public holidays are just one way of improving life for workers in Ireland. The introduction of the new public holiday in February was welcome, but we need to look at work across the economy as a whole and ensure its fair for all.”
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