£31bn of free work
And that’s £6265 worth of unpaid overtime for every employee, say TUC
WORKERS put in £31billion worth of overtime for free last year, a study reveals.
Research by the TUC found that almost five million people worked in excess of seven hours a week without pay.
It was estimated that the extra work was worth an average of £6265 per worker.
The TUC calculated that the average person has effectively worked for free so far this year.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Lots of us are willing to put in a bit of extra time when it’s needed but it’s a problem if it happens all the time.
“Today, we’re saying to workers, make sure you take a proper lunch break and go home on time.
“We’re asking managers to leave on time, too. Good bosses know that a long-hours culture doesn’t get good results and the best way is to lead by example.”
The TUC analysis found that while public sector workers make up a quarter of all employees, they account for more than a third of all unpaid overtime.
Unison’s assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Public sector staff regularly work through their breaks and go home late because they’re dedicated to the patients, students and local people who rely on them.
“But expecting employees to work above and beyond the call of duty, day in day out, is not on.
“Overstretched and underappreciated staff are at risk of burning out or giving up on a career in the public sector.”