TUC uncovers evidence of longer working hours
Published: 19 October 2008
In June 2008, the Trades Union Congress (TUC [1]) published a report, entitled The return of the long hours culture (2.2Mb PDF) [2], highlighting the increasing incidence of long working hours among UK workers. The report is based on the TUC’s analysis of UK government data. Data were collected and published in the UK Labour Force Survey [3] (LFS) and involve a breakdown of hours worked by UK workers according to sex, region, occupation and economic sector. Data for the TUC study are based on LFS findings for the first quarter of each year.[1] http://www.tuc.org.uk/[2] http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/longhoursreturn.pdf[3] http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Source.asp?vlnk=358
A recent report by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), based on an analysis of government labour market data, has revealed a significant increase in the number of people working more than 48 hours a week. Furthermore, the research found that 85% of those who are new to working long hours are men. On the basis of the data presented in the report, the TUC argues that further regulation of working time is necessary in the UK.
Background to study
In June 2008, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) published a report, entitled The return of the long hours culture (2.2Mb PDF), highlighting the increasing incidence of long working hours among UK workers. The report is based on the TUC’s analysis of UK government data. Data were collected and published in the UK Labour Force Survey (LFS) and involve a breakdown of hours worked by UK workers according to sex, region, occupation and economic sector. Data for the TUC study are based on LFS findings for the first quarter of each year.
Report findings
More employees working long hours
The report found that the incidence of long working hours – that is, more than an average of 48 hours a week over a one-year period – had increased among UK workers from 2007 to 2008 (see table below). The TUC report revealed that, in 2008, as many as 3,276,000 workers in the UK are working long hours, amounting to 12.9% of the total workforce. This represents an increase from 2007, when 3,096,000 workers worked long hours, corresponding to 12.4% of the total workforce. This increase emerges after a decline in the number of employees working long hours in the UK between 1998 and 2007. Interestingly, in 1998, a total of 3,803,000 employees worked long hours in the UK.
| 2007 | 2008 | Change 2007–2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 2,395,000 | 2,548,000 | 153,000 |
| Women | 701,000 | 727,000 | 26,000 |
| Total | 3,096,000 | 3,276,000 | 180,000 |
| 2007 (%) | 2008 (%) | Change 2007–2008 (percentage points) | |
| Men | 18.7 | 19.7 | 1.0 |
| Women | 5.8 | 5.9 | 0.1 |
| Total | 12.4 | 12.9 | 0.5 |
Source: TUC, 2008
Higher number of men working long hours
On the basis of 2008 data, the report also found that 77.8% of those working long hours in the UK are men. Moreover, 19.7% of all working men in the UK currently work excessively long hours, which represents a one percentage point increase from 2007. Overall, 5.9% of all working women in the UK currently work long hours, representing a 0.1 percentage point increment from 2007.
Occupational effect on long working hours
White-collar occupations were most affected by the growth in the number of employees working long hours. Compared with 2007, an additional 57,000 workers in managerial and senior official positions are currently working long hours, while this is the case among an extra 59,000 workers in associate professional and technical positions. At sectoral level, the financial intermediation sector is most affected by the increased incidence of long working hours; for instance, the percentage of workers working long hours within this sector rose from 13.1% in 2007 to 16.2% in 2008.
Regions with highest rate of long working hours
On a regional basis, the regions primarily affected by the increased incidence of those working long hours were those areas classified by the report as the London and eastern regions of the UK. From 2007 to 2008, the number of those working long hours in the London region rose from 459,000 to 536,000 workers. In the eastern region of the UK, the number of those working long hours increased from 315,000 to 374,000 workers.
TUC analysis
Of particular concern to the TUC is the fact that men are more likely than women to work long hours. This can be explained by the fact that female employees more often than their male counterparts assume caring roles. In this regard, the TUC fears that the renewed growth of a culture of working long hours in the UK is likely to lead to fewer female employees reaching top positions in their professions, given the potential conflict between caring responsibilities and working long hours. The TUC has also used the statistics available to underline the argument that further regulation of working time is necessary in the UK. It is concerned about the rate at which the incidence of long working hours has increased since 2007 and argues that new regulations are required in order to ensure that the trend is reversed.
Commentary
The rising incidence of employees working long hours in the UK may be linked to the recent economic and financial crisis in the country. The UK financial intermediation sector has been particularly affected by the trend. The findings of the TUC study will also be a cause of concern to those worried about the UK’s status as one of the countries with the highest incidence of employees working long hours in the EU (see [EIRO study on working time developments – 2007](/search/node/eiro OR studies OR tn0804029s OR tn0804029s?oldIndex)). However, given the current Labour government’s persistent opposition to the scrapping of the individual opt-out to EU working time regulations that exists in the UK, it is unlikely that the government will take any action to reform the country’s working time regulations (UK0611039I, EU0807049I). However, the European Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council’s June 2008 agreement on a revision of the Working Time Directive means that a set of legal restrictions will be placed upon UK employers’ ability to compel employees to sign the individual opt-out. Also, those employees who do opt out of the regulations will only be permitted to work 60 hours a week. Whilst UK trade unions may have hoped that the UK’s individual opt-out would have come to an end, this new European development will be a source of hope for those concerned by the UK’s long hours culture.
Thomas Prosser, University of Warwick
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (2008), TUC uncovers evidence of longer working hours, article.
