A UNION has released a survey which it says smashes the myth that public servants are always on the lookout for an excuse to pull a ‘sickie’.

The TUC claims its findings question Government claims that there are easy savings to be had from cracking down on absence in the public sector.

The Truth About Sickness Absence report states that public sector workers are more likely than private sector colleagues to work when too ill to do so and less likely than private sector staff to take a ‘sickie’ – a short period off sick.

The report admits that public sector workers take longer periods off work on absence but claims many work in stressful and dangerous public sector jobs that can cause injury.

Private sector workers are much more likely to work for employers who are quick to sack people with genuine health problems rather than help them return to work.

The poll found: * Within the last month, more than one in five public sector workers have been to work when they were really too ill to do so (21%).

* A further 41% (compared to 36% of private sector workers) have gone into work poorly when they should have stayed off sick within the last year, though not in the last month.

* Only one in ten public sector workers (11%) have never been to work when they were too ill to go.

Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary of the South West TUC, said: “People often talk about a ‘sicknote culture’ in the UK. Many seem to think that public sector workers are particularly guilty of taking time off work when they are not really unwell.

“The truth is we are really a nation of mucus troopers, where workers – particularly those in the public sector – routinely go into work when they are too ill and should be at home. And they do this – not because they are afraid of their boss – but because they know they do vital jobs in over-stretched workplaces.”