Responding to the TUC's ONS data analysis that puts teachers as the profession who work the most unpaid overtime, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT - The Teachers' Union, said:
"The fact that teachers are losing out on average by £15,047 a year in unpaid overtime is nothing less than daylight robbery.
"The fact that teachers are at the top of the list of professions working unpaid overtime is yet further shameful evidence of the Government’s failure to invest properly in our schools and colleges.
"Teachers are seeing their workloads piled higher and higher, and with cuts to support staff and cuts to other children’s services, teachers are now working around the clock.
"Our latest research found that more than half of teachers polled worked over 50 hours a week, with some working more than 70 hours. This is unsustainable and unacceptable. World-class education cannot be built off the backs of over-worked and underpaid teachers and headteachers.
“The Government’s refusal to protect teachers’ contractual working hours has helped fuel a “work ‘til you drop” culture. We will not stand by whilst the Government continues to allow our members’ workloads and working hours to spiral.
“It’s time for a limit on workload and working hours, and it’s high time that the Government focuses on fixing the problems driving the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.”
Notes to Editors
NASUWT data is quoted from the 2024 NASUWT National Teacher Poll, which surveyed over 7000 teachers from state-funded schools and academies in England. 60.4% of respondents report that on average their working hours each week during term time were between 50 hours and 69 hours. 20.9% of respondents reported weekly average hours of 60-69 hours. 4.1% reported their average working hours of between 70 hours and 79 hours per week. Only 10% reported their workload as manageable.
NASUWT's Time for a Limit campaign focuses specifically on teachers' excessive workloads and working hours. It is empowering teachers to work their proper hours and take a break.
The TUC analysis is based on the ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2023Q2. This is the latest available dataset at the time of publication.
