TUC Calls for creation of a new community public holiday

[brothermagrew]

This paper explores the economic case for creating a new public holiday. This
case is strengthened greatly by the TUC/voluntary sector joint proposal to create a
new Community Day holiday. A new public holiday in the autumn with a theme
of celebrating and promoting community and voluntary activity would create
something that would be of substantial value to society.

The work done by voluntary and community groups is inherently valuable, and
also generates beneficial spin-offs in the shape of greater social cohesion and the
development of those taking part.

It is also true that many leisure and retail businesses are boosted by public
holidays. This is a fact that is missed by those simplistic commentators who assert
that a new public holiday would be solely a cost to business.

The TUC’s analysis is that the introduction of a well-planned Community Day
public holiday could make the benefits to business close to or even equal to the
costs.

Given that the introduction of Community Day would also bring benefits to
workers and to society as a whole, the case for introducing the new public holiday
is now overwhelming.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/bankholida ... sscase.pdf

[baldrick]

But Baron Mandelson, the Prince of Darkness, doesn't want us to have another bank holiday despite the fact
that we have less public holidays than any other country in the EU.