There is also both old fashioned exploitation where people can only make
enough to live on by clocking up overtime (road haulage is a good
example of this in the UK) and also the growth of new low paid service
jobs as part of the 24 hour economy where long hours are needed to make
up a decent wage packet.
Both the Working Time Directive and the Minimum Wage will make some
difference but the first will be implmented using every loophole that
Gillian Shepherd, the previous Conservative minister, negotiated and the
second is not going to be set at a rate that will suddenly guarantee
everyone a good wage with a 35 hour week.
Excess working hours in the UK particularly by men is a key
characteristic of the labour market flexibility often celebrated by new
Labour and urged on the rest of Europe where working life is more civilised.
For more information see
http://www.tuc.org.uk/vbuilding/tuc/browse/object.exe?2278&0&0&0&0
This is a poll comparing Britain and the Netherlands on working hours and
flexibility.
There is also a lot of statistical material at
the Working Time Briefing Area
http://www.tuc.org.uk/vbuilding/tuc/browse/object.exe?334&0&0&0&0
including this break down of long hours by sector
Sector and % full-time employees working more than 48 hours per week
Agriculture, forestry & fishing 39%
Mining & quarrying 43%
Manufacturing 23%
Electricity, gas & water supply 18%
Construction 29%
Wholesale & retail 25%
Hotels & restaurants 27%
Transport & communication 34%
Banks & building societies 15%
Real estate, business services 24%
Public administration 13%
Education 29%
Health & social work 14%
Community & personal services 24%
Source: Labour Force Survey, Spring 1996
**********************************************************************
* Nigel Stanley nstanley@tuc.org.uk *
* Head of Campaigns and Communications 0171 467 1244 *
* Trades Union Congress 0171 467 1241 (fax) *
* Congress House 01399 755102 (pager) *
* Great Russell St *
* London WC1B 3LS *
**********************************************************************
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