THE Government is being urged to agree to three extra bank holidays, including one to help break up the "slog" between the end of summer and Christmas.
Research by the TUC showed huge support for extra public holidays, with today - the start of the school half-term holiday - being the preferred date.
More than 20,000 people took part in a TUC poll, with four in ten saying a Monday in late October should become a bank holiday.
A third opted for St David's, St Andrew's or St George's days and one in ten for New Year's Eve.
Workers in England, Wales and Scotland have eight public holidays a year - ten in Northern Ireland - compared with an average of more than 11 across Europe.
Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said: "It's a cold, dark Monday but autumn doesn't have to be such a slog.
"The country could comfortably cope with a day off today to break the 16-week bank holiday-free stretch.
"If this Monday were a bank holiday, millions of hard-working families would be able to spend a day with their children during half-term without taking extra leave.
"Millions of employees could give our leisure and retail industries a boost or take a long weekend away and help our tourism sector. Others could simply be enjoying a well-earned extra lie-in and a very happy Monday."
The TUC called on the Government to allow three new bank holidays to bring the country up to the European average. Only Holland gives its workers as few bank holidays - but the Dutch have more annual leave.
Slovakia, with 18 days, has the most, followed by Cyprus, Malta, Spain and Portugal with 14.
The TUC complained that millions of people had to work on bank holidays with no extra pay or leave days.
It pointed out that there were 61 days to go to the next bank holiday and 56 days since the last one.
A spokesman for the Confederation of British Industry said: "We all like the idea of more time off but there is no such thing as a free lunch.
"We suspect people who would be most delighted would be in competitor countries such as China, India, France and Germany."
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