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British shop
managers are exploited: Working all hours to stay open all hours Many British shop managers and supervisors, under pressure to meet targets and boost profit margins, regularly work excessive hours that put their health, safety and family lives at risk. UNI Commerce affiliate Usdaw and its managerial section Sata is building a case to present to the UK Government on ending the country's "opt-out" clause on working time regulations. The United Kingdom stands alone in applying a policy allowing workers to "opt-out" of the EU's maximum 48-hour week. Usdaw has long held concerns that its members, particularly managers and supervisors, feel pressured into opting-out of the 48-hour week - and then work excessive hours. The Government's own figures show that 4.5 million people (25 per cent of the workforce) work more than 48 hours per week, with one in six workers putting in over 60 hours per week. As part of evidence that Usdaw will submit to a Government consultation exercise, ending next month, the union is now canvassing a targeted section of members. Over 12,000 survey forms are this week being posted to Usdaw/Sata members in managerial and supervisory positions. The survey will enable Usdaw to give evidence on how many hours these members work in an average week, compared to their contractual hours. It will also show how many members have either been asked or felt pressured to sign an opt-out of the 48-hour maximum working week. Usdaw believes the Government's "opt-out" policy leaves workers open to exploitation. John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, said: "The regulations have provided more than enough opportunities, loopholes, opt-outs and exclusions to sustain the long hours culture in the UK. We have to tackle this long-hours culture, because it damages lives and puts health at risk. "The 48-hour limit on the average maximum working week was not plucked out of thin air. It was based on extended study of long working hours and accidents. This demonstrated that the risk of having and causing accidents due to tiredness increased at a faster rate for all time worked above 48 hours. We need clear limits that are widely understood and rigorously applied." |
