date: 15 November 2005

embargo: 00.01hrs Thursday 17 November 2005

People want flexible working, but most can't get it, says TUC

Almost one in ten of employees in the UK (2.3 million people) would like to work fewer hours, even if this meant taking home less money each month, according to a report published today (Thursday) by the TUC. However, more than half a million workers who have asked for a shorter working week have had their requests turned down by their employers.

The report, 'Challenging times', reveals that over three-quarters of UK employees (77.4 per cent) have no element of flexibility in their employment contracts, prompting the TUC to call for employers to do more to introduce changed ways of working that suit companies and individuals alike.

'Challenging times' is published to coincide with the first day of a major two-day conference organised by the European Trades Union Confederation and the TUC to look at how unions and employers across Europe are altering the working day to help meet the needs of the 21st century workforce.

The TUC report says that UK employees are much more likely to be able to opt for flexible working arrangements like flexitime and job-share if they are fortunate enough to work for an organisation where there is a union. Union members are nearly twice as likely to be working flexibly (34.5 per cent), compared to employees from non-unionised workplaces (19.1 per cent).

Workers in the public sector are more likely to have a greater work/life balance than people working for private firms, according to the report. Less than one in ten of private sector employees (six per cent) are on flexitime, compared to almost one in five in the public sector (19.8 per cent).

And although there are now 150,000 more people (many of whom are men) working flexitime since the right to request to work flexibly was introduced 18 months ago, the total is still only a little over one in ten of all UK employees (11.5 per cent). In Germany, the percentage of employees on flexitime is three times as high.

'Challenging times' says that although four in ten employees (9.4 million) would jump at the chance to work fewer hours, many are unable to do so for financial reasons. As well as the 2.3 million who would take a pay cut if it meant working fewer hours, a further 3.5 million people could reduce their hours by cutting their unpaid overtime and sticking to their contracted hours.

The report also builds on the joint report published by the Government, the TUC and the CBI in the summer by highlighting further case studies - including Bristol City Council, Croydon Primary Care Trust and Organon Research - where flexible working has helped employees and made good business sense.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'There are many reasons why individuals are keen to change their working hours. Being the parents of young children is the obvious one, but employees might also want time out to care for older relatives or to brush up on some new skills. Whatever the reason, employers should not see flexible working as a burden, but as a positive move that makes sound business sense.

'The right to request to work flexibly has unfortunately had little impact on the UK's long hours culture. Though a few forward thinking employers can see the benefit of a more intelligent organisation of workload and working hours, many bosses are not imaginative enough to meet flexible requests from employees with anything other than a firm no.

'Extending the right to request to work flexibly to all workers might actually help more employers embrace a new working culture that benefits them as well. Sadly, our figures suggest that the day when all employees can enjoy a decent work/life balance is still some considerable way off.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The right to request to work flexibly was introduced in April 2003 and allows working parents with children under the age of six to request to change their hours. The recently published Work and Families Bill proposes extending the right to request to the carers of older relatives.

The research in 'Challenging times' is based on an analysis of the official Labour Force Survey. A copy of the full report is available at http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/CTreport.doc

A number of case studies are available for interview. Please contact the press office for further information.

'Challenging times: the union role in working time innovation', is the conference organised by the ETUC and the TUC, and takes place on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 November at ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1. Speakersinclude TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady and ETUC General Secretary John Monks. Theconference starts at 9.15am on Thursday and concludes at 1.30pm on Friday. During the conference, the ETUC Working Time Innovation Award will be presented to two European case studies that show that innovation and flexibility is mutually beneficial.

Changing times, the TUC's work/life balance website has had a complete revamp, and the new site relaunches today www.tuc.org.uk/changingtimes

Work Your Proper Hours Day 2006 takes place on 24 February and aims to highlight the large amount of unpaid overtime undertaken by UK employees. That Friday in February is the Day when the average person who does unpaid overtime actually starts to get paid for their contracted hours.

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Contacts:

Media enquiries: Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (1,000 words) issued 17 Nov 2005