Peter Lazenby
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ALMOST one million nightshift workers in Britain are paid less than £10 an hour, research by the TUC has revealed.
And many are in insecure jobs and on exploitative zero-hours contracts.
The shocking findings reveal the extent of exploitation of workers who suffer anti-social hours, increased health risks and disruption to family life associated with nightshift working.
The TUC says that 3.2 million men and women regularly work nightshifts.
Its research showed that three in 10 are paid less than £10 an hour.
The government’s national minimum wage is £9.50 an hour for workers aged 23 and over.
Many nightshift workers are key workers. The largest single group comprises 460,000 care workers.
The TUC has called for a £15 an hour minimum wage for all staff and the introduction of sector-wide fair pay agreements in sectors like social care, including minimum standards on pay, working conditions and training.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We all owe Britain’s night workers a huge debt for keeping the country running while we are asleep.
“Working through the night is tough — with night-workers at higher risk of health problems and disruption to their daily lives.
“But the truth is that many of those who work overnight — especially in key sectors like care — are on low pay and insecure contracts.”
She said that as the cost-of-living crisis escalates, ministers must “do more to ensure that all night workers get the pay they deserve.”
“That means raising the minimum wage to £15 an hour as soon as possible and improving working conditions so all night workers are treated with dignity at work,” Ms O’Grady said.
