http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishe...m=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=56390-qqqx=1.asp
Employees to work leap day for free
By Niamh Hennessy
IRISH employees will work an extra day for free on Friday — resulting in a €300m boost for employers.
Because of the leap year the number of working days increases this year from 261 to 262, which means employers who pay fixed salaries get a day of free labour from their workers.
The revelation has even sparked the setting-up of a Facebook network — National Duvet Day, which is calling on people to take the day off from work and school on February 29.
More than 4,000 people from Ireland and Britain have signed up for the network.
Chief economist at Friends First Jim Power said if employers don’t pay staff for an extra day of work it will be a huge revenue boost for them.
“However I would see it as nit-picking from the employees’ perspective because it’s really a case of you win some and you lose some,” he said.
The revenue generated will put Irish employers in a good position ahead of the upcoming national pay talks, according to the Irish Congress of Trade Union (ICTU). “It should at least influence the upcoming pay talks if employers are going into them with their wallets fattened by €300m.
“The timing is perfect in terms of boosting the funds and resources available to employers to meet our pay claims,” said ICTU spokesman Macdara Doyle.
In Britain, a campaign has also been launched by the charity Duvetday.org, which is asking people to reduce the greenhouse gases they would normally generate by not travelling to and from school or work on Friday.
In response, the National Trust have told their 4,800 staff and 49,000 volunteers in Britain and the North to take the day off.
its work-life balance day aswell
Employees to work leap day for free
By Niamh Hennessy
IRISH employees will work an extra day for free on Friday — resulting in a €300m boost for employers.
Because of the leap year the number of working days increases this year from 261 to 262, which means employers who pay fixed salaries get a day of free labour from their workers.
The revelation has even sparked the setting-up of a Facebook network — National Duvet Day, which is calling on people to take the day off from work and school on February 29.
More than 4,000 people from Ireland and Britain have signed up for the network.
Chief economist at Friends First Jim Power said if employers don’t pay staff for an extra day of work it will be a huge revenue boost for them.
“However I would see it as nit-picking from the employees’ perspective because it’s really a case of you win some and you lose some,” he said.
The revenue generated will put Irish employers in a good position ahead of the upcoming national pay talks, according to the Irish Congress of Trade Union (ICTU). “It should at least influence the upcoming pay talks if employers are going into them with their wallets fattened by €300m.
“The timing is perfect in terms of boosting the funds and resources available to employers to meet our pay claims,” said ICTU spokesman Macdara Doyle.
In Britain, a campaign has also been launched by the charity Duvetday.org, which is asking people to reduce the greenhouse gases they would normally generate by not travelling to and from school or work on Friday.
In response, the National Trust have told their 4,800 staff and 49,000 volunteers in Britain and the North to take the day off.
its work-life balance day aswell
