Britons Urged to Work No OT Friday
Britain's Trades Union Congress is urging working people throughout the UK to work no overtime this Friday, which the union federation celebrates as Work Your Proper Hours Day. It is the day when the average person who does unpaid overtime finishes the unpaid days he does every year and starts earning for himself. "We think that's a day worth celebrating!" says TUC, the equivalent of the AFL-CIO.
The TUC has 66 affiliated unions representing nearly 7 million workers. It says nearly 5 million people are working an average of more than seven hours' unpaid OT per week. The federation is asking people to mark the day by turning up for work on time, taking a proper lunch break, and leaving when they're scheduled to.
"Spread the word to colleagues, friends and family. Encourage people to participate and order posters and postcards for their workplaces," it says. "You can order up to 100 each for free from the website www.workyourproperhoursday.com."
This year, the TUC is hunting for the best and worst workplaces for unpaid overtime. An interactive quiz on the Web site helps visitors find out whether their workplaces are filled with unpaid OT and rate them for managing their own hours. With this information, the TUC has assembled a new unpaid overtime map of Britain.