Union spotlight on long hours

Tomorrow is Work Your Proper Hours Day which, according to the TUC, is the day when the average person who does unpaid overtime finishes the unpaid days they do every year, and starts earning for themselves.

Secretary of the Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Duncan Griffiths said: “In 2014, the TUC found employees across the UK worked unpaid hours worth over £32bn to the economy.

“We believe the long hours culture needs to be addressed, as it makes little economic sense, and is bad for the health of the workforce.

“In these difficult economic times, more than ever workers are struggling to pay bills and make ends meet.

“The austerity budgets will be making many people scared of losing their job.

“Inevitably people will be putting in extra hours to try and make ends meet.

“Long hours are not good for us. They cause stress, they’re bad for our health, they wreck relationships, they make caring for children or dependents more difficult, and tired, burnt-out staff are bad for business.”

The Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch has approximately 2,000 members mainly in the Department for Work and Pensions.