Workers in the agricultural industry are most likely to lose out on their legal holiday entitlement, new analysis shows.
New TUC analysis published reveals that 1 in 12 UK workers are not getting their legal holiday entitlement.
The analysis estimates that 2.2 million employees are not getting the minimum paid leave entitlement they are due. And over half of this number (1.2 million) are not getting any paid leave at all.
The analysis shows workers are losing out on nearly £3bn worth of paid leave a year.
The sectors in which workers are most likely to lose out are agriculture (14.9%), followed by mining and quarrying (14.7%) and accommodation and food (13.9%).
The TUC says the main reasons people are missing out include workers being set unrealistic workloads that do not allow time to take leave, and employers deliberately denying holiday requests and managing out people’s leave.
Minimum holiday entitlements are a vital part of reducing overwork, says the TUC. People who work excessive hours are at risk of developing heart disease, stress and mental illness.
'Millions are missing out'
The TUC is now urging HMRC to be granted new powers to clamp down on employers who deny staff their statutory holiday entitlement. This would include the power to ensure that workers are fully compensated for missed holidays.
The government has recently consulted on enforcing holiday entitlements but has yet to announce any plans.
TUC General Secretary, Frances O’Grady said: 'We’re now in peak holiday season. But while many workers are away enjoying time off with friends and family, millions are missing out. And that puts them at risk of burnout.
'Employers have no excuse for robbing staff of their well-earned leave. UK workers put in billions of hours of unpaid overtime as it is. The government must toughen up enforcement to stop bosses cheating staff out of their leave.'
The analysis follows news of food campaign group Sustain highlighting how a new body is needed to negotiate wages and better conditions for agriculture workers.
Labour has also pledged to reintroduce the Agricultural Wages Board in a move which Jeremy Corbyn says will 'bring back millions of pounds to English rural workers'.
