AS many workplaces prepare to shut down for the Christmas break, the TUC urged that every should to spare a thought for the 10's of thousands of people who have been working in the North West, on Christmas Day.
The TUC estimates; based on official statistics; that the number of employees who will work on Friday, 25 December 2015, in the North West, is likely have exceed 100,000, in 2015; an increase of 4,000 over the last 3 years (2012 2013 and 2014). This means that 1 in 32 people in the North West are likely to have been on duty on Friday, compared to 1 in 47 in London. Across the UK over 1000,000 employees are expected to have work on Christmas Day. Where you one of them? If so please let us know what you do and how long you had to work, via emailing our newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.
Care workers (168,000) and medical staff (152,000) account for a big share of those working on Friday, 25 December 2015. In what is likely to be a busy festive period for the NHS, 810,000 nurses, 46,000 nursing assistants and 17,000 doctors will all be on duty. And a large army of chefs (42,000), kitchen assistants (22,000), waiting (15,000) and bar staff (13,000) have been expected to have been working in hotels, pubs and restaurants. In addition, 22,000 Police Officers and 28,000 Security Guards are thought to have been at work. And 15,000 farm workers have had animals and crops are being looked after. Plus many more, like those in the Armed Forces!
Christmas Day services have also had 20,000 members of the clergy kept busy. But it is 1 of the main religious days for the Christian Church.
A few days before Christmas Eve, TUC Regional Secretary Lynn Collins said:- "Christmas Day is a special day that millions of us spend with our nearest and dearest. So we should all spare a thought for the people in the North West who this Friday, will be hard at work while we're opening our presents, tucking into the turkey and relaxing with our families. Many on duty on the 25th will be on low pay, especially in sectors like hospitality and social care. Let's stop and remember all those who keep the services we rely upon running during the Christmas break."
Sources:- 2012 ONS special release, 2015 TUC estimates.
Source:- Labour Force Survey updated by TUC estimate..
► The latest ONS figures relate to Christmas 2012. The TUC estimated figures for 2015, by increasing the 2012 results to take account of employment growth.