Millions of employees working unpaid overtime
Published: 30 March 2010
Using unpublished data from the UK National Labour Force Survey and from the UK government’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, the Trades Union Congress (TUC [1]) published data in January 2010 on the number of employees working unpaid overtime [2] in the UK. Specifically, it emerged that 5.07 million workers regularly worked unpaid overtime in 2009, and that this totalled about GBP 27.4 billion (€30.6 billion as at 25 March 2010) in lost wages for these workers. This equated to an annual GBP 5,402 (€6,033) per worker affected, and was the highest figure registered since records began in the late 1990s.[1] http://www.tuc.org.uk/[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/overtime
A Trades Union Congress (TUC) survey has revealed that millions of workers in the United Kingdom are working unpaid overtime. The study shows that 5.07 million employees regularly worked unpaid overtime in 2009, and that nearly 900,000 people regularly worked more than 10 hours a week without payment. A new TUC campaign aims to combat this problem. The economic recession has helped to promote a culture where working unpaid overtime has become the norm.
Trade unions analyse official data
Using unpublished data from the UK National Labour Force Survey and from the UK government’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) published data in January 2010 on the number of employees working unpaid overtime in the UK. Specifically, it emerged that 5.07 million workers regularly worked unpaid overtime in 2009, and that this totalled about GBP 27.4 billion (€30.6 billion as at 25 March 2010) in lost wages for these workers. This equated to an annual GBP 5,402 (€6,033) per worker affected, and was the highest figure registered since records began in the late 1990s.
Furthermore, of the 5.07 million employees working unpaid overtime, it was found that almost 900,000 people regularly worked more than 10 hours a week of unpaid overtime. The average weekly overtime worked by the affected persons was seven hours and 12 minutes. Although the number of workers affected had declined by 168,000 persons since 2008, it was also found that the value of annual unpaid overtime per worker had increased by GBP 263 (€294) since 2008.
On a regional basis, it emerged that the London and South East regions of the UK were the most seriously affected by the problem of unpaid overtime (see table). In London, 809,000 employees worked unpaid overtime in 2009, while the annual value of this unpaid overtime per worker was GBP 8,532 (€9,529). The figures for the South East region were 842,000 workers and GBP 5,736 (€6,406). In terms of the value of annual unpaid overtime per worker, Wales and the North East region of the UK were least affected by the trend. In these regions, the value of annual unpaid overtime per worker was respectively GBP 4,276 (€4,776) and GBP 4,310 (€4,813).
| Area | Number of people working unpaid overtime (000s) | Change 2008–2009 | Value of unpaid overtime per worker a year (000s) in GBP | Change 2008–2009 (in 000s of GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 171 | -3 | GBP 4,310 (€4,813) | 474 |
| North West | 469 | -3 | GBP 4,976 (€5,557) | 492 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 389 | -9 | GBP 4,621 (€5,161) | 369 |
| East Midlands | 374 | -6 | GBP 5,072 (€5,664) | 316 |
| West Midlands | 397 | -34 | GBP 5,156 (€5,758) | 484 |
| Eastern | 513 | -25 | GBP 5,238 (€5,850) | 187 |
| London | 809 | -11 | GBP 8,532 (€9,529) | 498 |
| South East | 842 | -22 | GBP 5,736 (€6,406) | 433 |
| South West | 436 | -6 | GBP 4,599 (€5,136) | 276 |
| Wales | 190 | -14 | GBP 4,276 (€4,776) | -392 |
| Scotland | 416 | -9 | GBP 4,752 (€5,307) | 5 |
| Northern Ireland | 60 | -30 | GBP 5,110 (€5,707) | 281 |
| UK | 5,067 | -168 | GBP 5,402 (€6,033) | 263 |
TUC campaign gets underway
The findings of the study have provided the momentum for a new TUC campaign that aims to reduce the incidence of staff working unpaid overtime. This campaign centres around what the TUC call ‘work your proper hours day’ on 26 February 2010; according to TUC calculations, in 2010 this is the day when employees who work unpaid overtime finish the amount of unpaid overtime that they work every year and start earning for themselves. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber stated:
‘The recession has forced many employees to do less hours in an effort to save jobs and this has also had an effect on the amount of unpaid overtime worked. This flexibility and the sacrifices made by staff have saved jobs and kept companies afloat. Bosses should use Work Your Proper Hours Day to thank staff for the extra effort they are putting in to help their business through the recession. But millions of people are still working far too many hours and often they are not even being paid for it. This long hours culture causes stress and damages people’s health.’
Commentary
Although the incidence of unpaid overtime in terms of numbers of workers has slightly decreased since the start of 2008, many commentators will equate the high figures with the continuing economic downturn. The concern of many is that cuts in the basic hours of workers and fears of redundancy among workers have promoted a culture in many organisations where working unpaid overtime has become a norm. This will worry trade unions, and also raises questions regarding the efficacy of the government’s monitoring of working time regulations in the UK (UK0901039I).
Thomas Prosser, University of Warwick
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (2010), Millions of employees working unpaid overtime, article.
