Out-Law News 1 min. read
01 Jun 2005, 2:32 pm
Claims that long hours do not adversely affect workers' health are simply wrong, says the TUC in a report. Those who regularly work over 48 hours per week are at increased risk of stress and heart disease, are more likely to drink and smoke too much, and to have a poor diet.
Nor are workers always happy to work long hours, contrary to claims by employers, says the TUC. It points to a recent DTI report indicating that 58% of long-hours workers would be happy to be limited to 48 hours per week, and that only 34% of long hours workers had signed an opt-out.
Employers like to state that they are supporting their workers' rights to work unlimited overtime, says the TUC, when in fact 60% of long-hours workers do not get any extra pay for their extra hours.
Nor are long hours necessary for economic success.
"The truth is that long hours actually impede productivity," says the report. "Long-hours workers become fatigued, which leads to lower output per hour, a decline in the quality of work and more mistakes."
At present the UK is only tenth in the EU - 15 in terms of productivity per hour – despite working the longest hours. The solution is not more hours of work, but more investment, training and better organisation, says the TUC.
The report has been published shortly before EU employment ministers meet on 2nd June to discuss proposed changes to the Working Time Directive.
Controversially, considering the proposals earlier this month, MEPs voted to scrap the right of workers to opt-out of the maximum 48-hour working week set by the Directive, prompting anger from business leaders and praise from trades unions.
That decision rejected the proposal put forward by the European Commission in September, which would have kept the right of opt-out while tightening the conditions for its application.
At the time, Sir Digby Jones, Director-General of Britain's CBI, said the MEPs amendments would allow emerging economies like China and India to "walk all over us."
