Unpaid overtime is on the increase, says TUC

By PRSD, on Thursday, January 8, 2009

posted by Cptn

With redundancies and job losses on the rise, we’ve got news from the TUC that more than four hundred thousand people are working unpaid overtime in the South West.

The press releases says: “Some 442,000 people in the South West worked unpaid overtime in 2008, bringing its total value across the region to £1,911 billion, according to an analysis of official statistics published by the TUC today.

“The TUC has calculated that 5.24 million people across the UK worked unpaid overtime in 2008 – the highest number since records began in 1992. The previous record was five million in 2001.

“West Country employees who work unpaid would receive an extra £4,323 a year if they were paid for the additional hours they are putting in. The average amount of unpaid overtime in the region is six and a half hours.

“The TUC has calculated that if everyone who works unpaid overtime did all their unpaid work at the start of the year, the first day they would get paid would be Friday, February 27. The TUC traditionally declares this ‘Work Your Proper Hours Day’ and makes a light-hearted call for staff to work their proper hours for at least one day a year and for employers to thank their staff for regularly putting in the extra hours at work.

“South West TUC regional secretary Nigel Costley told the PRSD: “After years of progress, the numbers doing unpaid overtime has increased for the second year in a row. This is disappointing.

“But while some of this is due to the longs-hours culture that still dogs too many British workplaces, the recession will now be making many people scared of losing their job in the year ahead and joining the ever-growing dole-queue.

“Inevitably people will be putting in extra hours if they think it can help protect against redundancy or keep their employer in business.

“This is not the year therefore for our usual light-hearted Work Your Proper Hours Day. But this does not mean people should ignore excessive working. Friday, February 27 should still be used to think through working hours. Long hours are bad for people’s health, and employers should never forget that each extra hour worked makes people less productive once they are over a sensible working week.

“The recession should instead provide a spur to make workplaces more productive, and for managers to get staff to work together, not compete for who can stay the latest.”

• The EU’s Working Time Directive, anyone? Comment below