Britain's Prince William and his fiancée Kate Middleton pose for a photograph in St. James's Palace in central London on Nov. 16, 2010
The highly-anticipated nuptial ceremony has been declared an official holiday in Britain. But some employers aren't heeding the royal command.
Working through the wedding? No way! Most companies are respecting the bank holiday declared by the monarchy, making it a day free of work for many — the same as public holidays like Martin Luther King Day or Memorial Day in America. But some employees are furious that their bosses expect Friday, April 29 to be just a normal day.
Managers at companies across Britain are realizing how much harm can come from missing a weekday. A director at a small concrete company told the Telegraph that the day off will cost him £50,000 ($80,000), a holiday that he simply cannot afford. Many firms are already struggling after an uncontrollable halt in business due to the wintry weather that crippled Britain in mid-December. And that's precisely why a flooring company in the north of England is demanding its 400 workers turn up on the wedding day or face a day without pay.
Britain's largest labor union, the GMB, is fighting for workers' rights. A holiday is a holiday, they say, and employees should be able to stay home and enjoy the festivities. A union officer criticized companies' "bah humbug" style, telling the companies to "think again" about calling workers in on the national holiday.
Even if they do turn up to work on the Royal Wedding Day, NewsFeed is sure employees will be sneaking a glance at the TV at every possible chance.