Workers 'losing £4800 in unpaid overtime'

British employees put in unpaid overtime worth around £23bn, according to new figures.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) said that individual employees would take home an extra £4800 every year if they were paid for the extra hours they work.

If employees began all their unpaid work at the beginning of the year, the TUC calculated, they would not start to get paid until 23 February.

The organisation called on people to recognise this on 23 February, by taking a proper lunch break and going home on time.

"Employers should also use the day to say thank you to staff for their unpaid work, perhaps by buying them lunch or an after-work coffee or cocktail," it said.

"We work the longest hours in Europe, and too many workplaces are gripped by a long hours culture. There are some small signs that we are getting a bit better, but there is still a long way to go," said Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary.

"We do not want to turn Britain into a nation of clock watchers, and few mind putting in extra effort from time to time when it is needed, but it is too easy for extra time to get taken for granted and then expected every week."