Long-hours culture still endemic, TUC claims

Jun 9 2008 by Lisa Jones, Western Mail

THERE has been little change in the long-hours culture in Wales, official statistics have revealed.

Analysis of the figures by the Trades Unions Congress (TUC) showed 124,000 people, 10.8% of all employees in Wales, were working more than 48 hours a week in 2008.

Published in the TUC’s report, The Return of the Long Hours Culture, the data has found little change since 2007. Across the UK, the number of people working long hours has increased at a faster rate over the last year than the decline in excessive working between 1998 and 2006.

Derek Walker, Wales TUC head of policy and campaigns, said: “After slow but steady progress over the last decade, long-hours working is making its way back into Britain’s workplaces. Employees across the UK already work the longest hours in Western Europe and the recent increase will mean lower productivity, more stress and less time to have a life outside the office with friends and family.”

Across the UK, the number of people working more than 48 hours a week increased by 180,000 to 3.3 million, an increase of 0.5 per cent. This compares with the period between 1998 and 2006, when the number of people working more than 48 hours was cut by 3.7% from 3.8 million to 3.1 million.

Mr Walker added: “When the Government meets other European ministers next week, it should side with Britain’s 3.3 million workers and take action to end excessive working time.”