What would happen if...

[NCBabyBoy]

You only worked the hours you are paid for? Like the binmen in Birmingham? I figure I will be doing about 10-12 hours of unpaid work a week next year (I work four days). That's 390 hours a year??? How the hell is that OK?!?! It's more than a third of the number of hours I get paid!! Has anyone else got fed up of being taken for a mug?

Hourly-paid workers on a wage will usually work only their set hours anyway, and if they are needed for longer they get overtime. Salaried staff do tend to be paid to get the work done.

Doesn't make it any more palatable, but there you go.

Try working in finance at the end of the tax year - there's been times when I've driven home as the sun comes up!

I don’t think much would happen if everyone joined in. Marking would probably get ditched, which would have no effect whatsoever as the pupils don’t pay any attention to the helpful comments I write.

There wouldn’t be any school trips though.

Yeah, I've just realised that my directed time is only a 26-hour week, 39 weeks a year. If I treated it as 47 32-hour weeks condensed into 39 (or maybe 41, as I do work in the holidays) then I get paid for 38.5 hours a week in term time, which is a lot closer to the truth... I'll calm down now :)

Unfortunately too common on very many salaried roles
I do an average of 50 hours a week, get paid for 32 (not education based)

Yep. And that’s why I left. Now work in the education dept of a London borough and it’s bliss. I’m treated with so much respect compared to when I was teaching. And the best bit: No more marking or work outside of my contracted hours, I don’t feel permanently ill and resentful. It’s no way to live. Don’t do it until it makes you properly unwell OP. I did and now I wish I hadn’t.

Work to rule is sometimes used as a form of industrial action. Tends to remind employers how much they rely on goodwill.

It also keeps NHS going - someone once suggested consultants needed to be held to their contracted hours (not off doing private work), but idea was scrapped when it was shown just how much in excess of hours was being done