Workers putting in record hours of ‘unpaid overtime’
March 10, 2009
The economic downturn is making workers to put in record hours of ‘unpaid overtime’, according to the TUC. It estimated that nearly 5.24 million workers put in additional work worth almost £26.9bn in 2008.
Brendan Barber, the TUC general secretary, stated workers’ worries of losing their jobs was a major factor, whereas some of this was owing to a long hours’ culture. “Inevitably, people will be putting in extra hours if they believe it can help in protecting against redundancy or keep their employer in business,” he commented.
The average level of unpaid overtime, according to the TUC was over seven hours a week. Workers were also missing out on £5,000 of pay on an average. Mr Barber added: “After years of progress, those doing unpaid overtime are increasing in number – for the second year in a row.
The long-hours culture still dogs many British workplaces, but the major cause is recession that is forcing people to stick to their job. The areas of the country, which witnessed the biggest rise in unpaid overtime were the East Midlands, eastern England and London, said the TUC.
Mr Barber claimed long hours were not good for people’s health. Employers should not forget the fact that each extra hour tends to make people less productive especially once they have worked over a ‘sensible working week’.
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