Alcoholics try to cover their tracks

British employees are drinking more than ever, at a cost of 15 million working days lost each year, according to the Trade Union Congress.

But the union says few employers had policies in place to deal with the problem.

Tony, 54, who worked for an infrastructure development firm on major projects, told BBC News Online how alcohol took a stranglehold, affecting his work and family life.

Most office workers in the Eighties could be found at the bar during their lunch breaks, he said.

But Tony would drink more than his colleagues.

"They'd have one pint, I'd have two. If they had two pints, I'd have four," he said.

Bad calls

Eventually he started going to different pubs to his workmates so they would not see how much he was drinking.

"People have got to realise that alcoholics will do what they think they can get away with," he said.

"The fact that work is affected is symptomatic of the whole thing."

I do wish that less tolerance had been shown to my drinking Tony

In the office, that meant he made bad judgement calls.

"You don't turn up for things you are supposed to or you turn up for meetings with important clients, half cut," he said.

"Or you are in charge of people, they do something slightly silly and you go ape.

"People stop trusting you. In the end I was told never to contact clients without getting someone else's say so.

"They recognised I had skills but they didn't trust me."

Slow climb

The impact of alcoholism spreads outside the office, often wrecking social and private lives.

"I drank three marriages down the urinal. I went from putting a £20,000 deposit on a boat at the boat show to being practically homeless with mortgage arrears," he said.

Tony said friends would make excuses for his behaviour rather than approach him with their concerns for his health.

"I was allowed to get away with things for a long time but gradually people drop you because you say and do stupid things," he said.

"Now I am working on my own I'm doing well and gradually regaining trust, but it is taking some time."

The TUC believes that not enough is understood about the effects of drink on the workplace, and called on the government to fund more research into the problem.

Rock bottom

Tony said alcoholics talk about "hitting a bottom" - when drinking is more painful than giving up.

He said he reached his "bottom" after a failed suicide attempt and found help and support through Alcoholics Anonymous two years ago.

"An alcoholic must take action to do it himself," he said.

"If you force him to do it, it is not going to go down well."

But he said he any measures to help alcoholics reduce the depths they have to plunge before they decide to get help - such at the threat of the sack after three warnings - would be welcome.

"Alcoholism is a progressive disease. The guys strong drinking cider at the railway station started off by having a pint when they were in the fifth form at school.

"I was drinking from the age of 16 until I was 52. I was probably an alcoholic by the time I was 25," he said.