UK companies claimed £32.7 billion of free labour last year because of workers’ doing unpaid overtime, according to new analysis of official statistics published today (Friday) by the TUC.
More than 5 million people put in an average of 7.5 hours a week in unpaid overtime during 2018. On average, that’s equivalent to having £6,532 taken out of individual pay packets.
Today is the TUC’s 15th annual Work Your Proper Hours Day, marking the fact that the average person doing unpaid overtime has effectively worked the year so far for free.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“It’s not okay for bosses to steal their workers’ time.
“Lots of us are willing to put in a few extra hours when it’s needed, but too many employers are taking advantage.
“Overworking staff hurts productivity, leaves workers’ stressed and exhausted and eats into time that should be spent with family and friends.
“Bosses who do steal people’s time should face consequences. So we’re calling for new rights to ensure that employers who break the rules on working time can be brought to employment tribunals.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Key findings
Table 1 – Unpaid overtime by region and value
Nation / region |
Number working unpaid overtime |
Proportion working unpaid overtime |
Average weekly hours of unpaid overtime |
Average gross hourly pay |
Total value per week (£000s) |
Total value per year (£m) |
Annual value per worker |
North East |
147,000 |
14.0% |
7.3 |
£14.83 |
15,971 |
830 |
£5,665 |
North West |
460,000 |
15.3% |
8.0 |
£15.37 |
56,530 |
2,940 |
£6,387 |
Yorks and Humber |
402,000 |
18.0% |
7.3 |
£14.92 |
44,006 |
2,288 |
£5,692 |
East Midlands |
343,000 |
17.5% |
7.5 |
£14.69 |
36,660 |
1,906 |
£5,557 |
West Midlands |
418,000 |
17.6% |
7.6 |
£15.50 |
49,142 |
2,555 |
£6,112 |
Eastern |
483,000 |
18.6% |
7.3 |
£16.00 |
56,604 |
2,943 |
£6,097 |
London |
949,000 |
24.4% |
7.8 |
£22.49 |
165,585 |
8,611 |
£9,077 |
South East |
785,000 |
20.5% |
7.3 |
£17.11 |
97,752 |
5,083 |
£6,497 |
South West |
454,000 |
19.9% |
7.0 |
£15.28 |
48,743 |
2,535 |
£5,587 |
Wales |
164,000 |
12.9% |
7.6 |
£14.40 |
18,021 |
937 |
£5,704 |
Scotland |
345,000 |
14.8% |
7.7 |
£16.17 |
42,932 |
2,232 |
£6,464 |
Northern Ireland |
65,000 |
9.2% |
6.7 |
£14.55 |
6,333 |
329 |
£5,090 |
UK |
5,014,000 |
18.2% |
7.5 |
£16.75 |
628,395 |
32,677 |
£6,532 |
Table 2 – unpaid overtime for occupations with longest average unpaid hours
Occupation |
Number employees working unpaid overtime |
Per cent working unpaid overtime |
Average unpaid hours |
Teaching and educational professionals |
735,000 |
52.5% |
12.1 |
Chief Executive |
41,000 |
39.5% |
11.4% |
Legal professionals |
69,000 |
42.5% |
10.2 |
Hospitality and catering managers |
40,000 |
17.6% |
9.7 |
Functional managers* |
374,000 |
40.4% |
9.2 |
Production managers |
133,000 |
32.1% |
8.9 |
88,000 |
32.7% |
8.9 |
|
Finance institution managers |
35,000 |
42.3% |
8.9 |
Senior officers in the protective services |
15,000 |
28.4% |
8.7 |
Welfare professionals |
50,000 |
31.3% |
8.5 |
Source: the TUC’s analysis used unpublished ONS data from the Labour Force Survey (July-September 2018) and the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (2018)
*Functional managers: financial managers, marketing and sales directors, purchasing managers, advertising and public relations directors, human resource managers, IT managers.
- The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together more than 5.5 million working people who make up our 49 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.
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