據英國工會聯盟統計的數字顯示，2008年有500萬英國人自愿免費加班以期在經濟低迷期保住自己的“飯碗”，此舉所創造的價值達269億英鎊，而如果給付加班費的話，他們這一年平均每人能拿到5139英鎊。英國公會聯盟秘書長表示，自愿免費加班人數連續第二年增長并不是好現象；工作時間過長對健康不利，同時也會降低工作效率。

Five million Britons worked unpaid overtime last year because of a "long-hours" culture and concern that the economic downturn was putting their jobs at risk.

Five million Britons worked unpaid overtime last year because of a "long-hours" culture and concern that the economic downturn was putting their jobs at risk.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the number of people working hours they were not paid for was at the highest level since 1992 and that the value of the work was 26.9 billion pounds.

It said if workers were paid for the extra hours, they would receive on average an additional 5,139 pounds a year.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said the figures, up for the second year, were disappointing.

"While some of this is due to the long-hours culture that still dogs too many British workplaces, the recession will now be making many people scared of losing their job in the year ahead and joining the ever-growing dole-queue," he said.

"Inevitably people will be putting in extra hours if they think it can help protect against redundancy or keep their employer in business."

The TUC argued that if everyone who worked overtime did all the overtime work at the start of the year, the first day they would get paid would be February 27.

The largest increase in workers carrying out unpaid overtime occurred in London, followed by the east Midlands and eastern England. There was better news for those in southeast England and Scotland where fewer people were working unpaid extra hours.

"Long hours are bad for people's health, and employers should never forget that each extra hour worked makes people less productive once they are over a sensible working week," Barber said.

(Agencies)

Vocabulary:

dole-queue: 領取失業救濟金的隊伍

（英語點津 Helen 編輯）