£29bn boost from overtime
Unpaid overtime gives a £29bn boost to the UK economy each year, according to data released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Managers and senior officials contribute the most, the ONS found, estimating that the average full-time manager is paid for 38.5 hours per week but actually works for 46.2 hours – a gap of 7.7 hours. Professionals tend to work 36.6 paid hours and 6.8 unpaid, whilst plant and machine operatives work 44.2 and 41.4 hours respectively, but have almost no gap in pay. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) attacked the figures. “Employers should do more to recognise the unpaid overtime that their staff do,” said general secretary Brendan Barber. “UK workers are still doing the third longest shifts in Europe.”