Older workers in east midlands top league table for unpaid overtime

The proportion of employees in their late 50s and early 60s working unpaid overtime has increased sharply in the last decade – despite a fall in unpaid hours for the rest of the workforce – according to a new TUC analysis published today (Friday) to mark Work Your Proper Hours Day.

If workers who regularly put in unpaid overtime worked all their hours from the start of the year, the first day they would get paid would be today (Friday 24 February). The TUC has named this Work Your Hour Proper Hours Day (WYPHD) in their honour.

Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Rob Johnston said: “Over the last decade, more people are working well into their 60s – and many of them are putting in extra unpaid hours too. Here in the east midlands we know that 106,000 workers over the age of 50 do unpaid overtime, that’s 29.6 percent of all those doing unpaid overtime. That is the highest rate in the country and well in excess of the national average of 26.1%.

“A lot of older workers are keen to reduce their hours as they approach retirement, but many of them have to top up their contracted hours with extra working time for free.

“Around one in five workers regularly do unpaid overtime but it’s becoming the norm in far too many workplaces. Whilst most people have no objection to putting in some extra hours to help their employer through a busy period, an entrenched long hours culture causes stress, health problems and lower morale.

“We’re asking employers to support Work Your Proper Hours Day today by encouraging staff to take a proper lunch break and leave work on time. Given that managers themselves tend to do a lot of unpaid hours, taking a few simple steps to address long hours problems will benefit everyone in the workplace.”

For the full press release and statistical tables go to:

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-20676-f0.cfm?regional=6

Surge in older workers doing unpaid overtime in the west midlands

The proportion of employees in their late 50s and early 60s working unpaid overtime has increased sharply in the last decade – despite a fall in unpaid hours for the rest of the workforce – according to a new TUC analysis published today (Friday) to mark Work Your Proper Hours Day.

If workers who regularly put in unpaid overtime worked all their hours from the start of the year, the first day they would get paid would be today (Friday 24 February). The TUC has named this Work Your Hour Proper Hours Day (WYPHD) in their honour.

Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Rob Johnston said: “Over the last decade, more people are working well into their 60s – and many of them are putting in extra unpaid hours too. Here in the west midlands we know that 112,000 workers over the age of 50 do unpaid overtime, that’s 27.6 percent of all those doing unpaid overtime. That is in excess of the national average of 26.1%.

“A lot of older workers are keen to reduce their hours as they approach retirement, but many of them have to top up their contracted hours with extra working time for free.

“Around one in five workers regularly do unpaid overtime but it’s becoming the norm in far too many workplaces. Whilst most people have no objection to putting in some extra hours to help their employer through a busy period, an entrenched long hours culture causes stress, health problems and lower morale.

“We’re asking employers to support Work Your Proper Hours Day today by encouraging staff to take a proper lunch break and leave work on time. Given that managers themselves tend to do a lot of unpaid hours, taking a few simple steps to address long hours problems will benefit everyone in the workplace.”

For the full press release and statistical tables go to:  

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-20675-f0.cfm?regional=6

West Midlands workers are giving away £2 billion of unpaid overtime

West midlands workers gave away over £2 billion in unpaid overtime in 2009, a TUC analysis of official statistics reveals today (Thursday).
The TUC analysis shows that 397,000 million people worked unpaid overtime in the west midlands in 2009, a decline of 34,000 since 2008.
Staff who did unpaid overtime worked an average of 7 hours 30 minutes a week, worth £5,156 a year and an increase of £484 since 2008.
The biggest rises in the value of unpaid overtime have taken place in London (+£498), the North West (+£492) and the North East (+£474). Wales is the only area in which the value of unpaid overtime fell (-£392).
Of the five million employees who worked unpaid overtime, nearly 900,000 worked more than ten hours a week for free. Workers in Northern Ireland (23.1 per cent), the East Midlands (21.3 per cent) and London (20.6 per cent) were the most likely to do more than ten hours of unpaid overtime a week.
With many employers and staff agreeing to reduce hours in order to avoid job losses, the reduction in working time has had a knock on effect on the number of people working paid and unpaid overtime, the TUC says.
If everyone who worked unpaid overtime did it from the start of the year, they would start getting paid on Friday 26 February. The TUC has declared this day “Work Your Proper Hours Day” and will call on bosses to thank staff for the extra work they are putting in to help businesses through the recession.
Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said: “The recession has forced many employees to work 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 has 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 there are still 397,000 workers in this region who are working too many hours for which they are not getting paid. This long hours culture causes stress and damages people’s health.
“Most employers are understandably focused on fighting their way through the recession. But they shouldn’t forget that working cultures such as pointless presenteeism – which keeps people at their desks for no good reason – is not just bad for staff but bad for business too.”

East Midlands workers are giving away £1.9 billion of unpaid overtime

East midlands workers gave away nearly £1.9 billion in unpaid overtime in 2009, a TUC analysis of official statistics reveals today (Thursday). The TUC analysis shows that 374,000 million people worked unpaid overtime in the east midlands in 2009, a decline of just 6,000 since 2008.
Staff who did unpaid overtime worked an average of 7 hours 24 minutes a week, worth £5,072 a year and an increase of £316 since 2008.
The biggest rises in the value of unpaid overtime have taken place in London (+£498), the North West (+£492) and the North East (+£474). Wales is the only area in which the value of unpaid overtime fell (-£392).
Of the five million employees who worked unpaid overtime, nearly 900,000 worked more than ten hours a week for free. Workers in Northern Ireland (23.1 per cent), the East Midlands (21.3 per cent) and London (20.6 per cent) were the most likely to do more than ten hours of unpaid overtime a week.
With many employers and staff agreeing to reduce hours in order to avoid job losses, the reduction in working time has had a knock on effect on the number of people working paid and unpaid overtime, the TUC says.
If everyone who worked unpaid overtime did it from the start of the year, they would start getting paid on Friday 26 February. The TUC has declared this day “Work Your Proper Hours Day” and will call on bosses to thank staff for the extra work they are putting in to help businesses through the recession.
Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said: “The recession has forced many employees to work 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 has 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 there are still 374,000 workers in this region who are working too many hours for which they are not getting paid. This long hours culture causes stress and damages people’s health.
“Most employers are understandably focused on fighting their way through the recession. But they shouldn’t forget that working cultures such as pointless presenteeism – which keeps people at their desks for no good reason – is not just bad for staff but bad for business too.”