A row over loo breaks was flushed out today when the TUC said workers were having money docked for going to the toilet.

The union organisation said it should be "bog standard" practice to allow staff time off to spend a penny.

"Peeing is not a privilege," said a TUC official.

About 54 per cent of British workers don't even have time to go to the loo, while one in four held on all day because of the poor state of toilets in their workplace.

Workers complained of having money taken from their wages, in "loo" of time taken in the toilet, while others said part of the toilet door was cut off so managers could check they were not smoking.

TUC general secretary elect Brendan Barber said: "It's incredible to think that in the 21st Century workers are still being penalised for going to the loo."