UK workers sacrifice £27 billion through unpaid overtime

Over five million workers across the UK gave away £27.4 billion ($43 billion) in unpaid overtime in 2009, a study by Britain's Trade Union Congress (TUC) revealed yesterday.

TUC is a grouping of 58 affiliated unions representing nearly seven million working people from all walks of life.

The study shows that 5.07 million people regularly worked unpaid overtime in 2009, a decline of 168,000 since 2008.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said, 'The recession has forced many employees to do less hours in an effort to save jobs and this has also had an effect on the amount of unpaid overtime worked.''

''This flexibility and the sacrifices made by staff has saved jobs and kept companies afloat. Bosses should use Work Your Proper Hours Day to thank staff for the extra effort they are putting in to help their business through the recession,'' he added.

Staff who did unpaid overtime worked an average of 7 hours 12 minutes a week, worth £5,402 a year - the highest amount since records began in the late 1990s - and an increase of £263 since 2008.