‘Fear forcing staff to work longer hours'

Many workers in the hotel and catering industry are being forced into working longer hours by a fear of losing their jobs, a new study by the Institute for Public Policy Research has found. The study, conducted on behalf of the Department for Education and Employment, declared the 48-hour working week the most frequently flouted piece of employment legislation, with companies regularly putting pressure on employees to opt out. The Institute interviewed 20 groups of workers mostly on low to average pay - including waiters, porters and bar staff. Many of them reported being asked to sign an exemption from the 48-hour restriction - often as part of their initial contract of employment. Workers can not be forced to work more than 48 hours a week, but can voluntarily agree to do so. The report's author, Nick Burkitt, said many British workers know their rights are being infringed, but they are often unsure what to do about it and are scared of losing their jobs. "Although the maximum working time was the most common problem, we also found that workers were being denied a whole host of rights. Interestingly the minimum wage was not seen as a big problem. However, holiday pay, maternity rights, even things as basic as rest periods, all were," he said.