Overtime has always been a trade union issue. Whilst it is often difficult to convince members, who have gladly received overtime payments, of the merits of simply having enough workers in the first place the impact of relying upon overtime is far-reaching. Whilst in highly organise workplaces with good trade union density overtime can be limited and preserved on a paid for basis, the current state of public sector finances has led to a culture where it is almost wrong to question reliance on overtime. And there is a creeping move towards that overtime being unpaid.
The harmonisation of terms and conditions in the local government green-book led to agreements which have sapped away overtime premiums and set ceilings on those who could expect to receive payment for overtime as opposed to time of lieu being granted – for middling managers TOIL is often not provided either.
Employers will argue that for certain members of staff the requirement to work excessive hours is reflected in ‘the rate for the job’. The reality is that even where we have public sector jobs that go someone to meeting the European average minimum wage unpaid work drags the real hourly rates (hours actually worked divided by the salary) for those jobs back towards the UK minimum wage levels.
And the higher a person goes on the career ladder the more difficult it has become to refuse unpaid overtime. This culture will reach into even the lowest paid areas of work as employers face budget pressures to deliver as the mantra goes ‘more for less’. The choice will be keep your job but do more or jobs will have to go.
For UNISON in the midst of this struggle it will serve us well as activists to remind our members that they are entitled to a decent rate for the job that they do without having to rely on overtime, that employers can often withdraw without notice, and which is usually outside of pension or redundancy entitlement calculations. The labour of the workers is theirs to sell at the best rate they can get.
That is something we should not be shy of defending. Unpaid work undermines everything that the giants of the movement who went before us fought for. And excessive hours can seriously compromise health and safety.
We no longer live in serfdom so as a trade union our members should not have to tolerate unpaid work.
Anna Rose