
Issue No 1		19 February 1999

News

The Overworked - We're Sick, Anti-Social and Sexually Frustrated

By Peter Lewis

The pressure of long working hours is having an impact on many full-time workers' health, social life and even their sex life, according to a Labor Council-Newspoll survey.

The survey, conducted between February 12 and 14, found that:

- 44 per cent of full-time workers believed workplace stress was affecting their health

-53 per cent of full-time workers said their social life was affected.

- and 30 per cent of full-time workers said their sex life was affected.

Labor Council secretary Michael Costa said the survey results showed that working hours and work intensity could no longer be regarded as merely a "workplace issue".

"These statistics show that what is going on in the workplace is effecting just about every aspect of our quality of life.

"It's not good enough for executives to look at productivity and profit margins, there are more fundamental issues about our very existence at play here."

Mr Costa said trade unions had a constructive role to play in improving working life, including increasing job security and assisting members negotiate predictable and regular hours so that work did not dominate the rest of their lives.

Strategies to promote this agenda will be discussed at the Novotel today, where NSW union officials participate in the Work/Time/Life conference, part of an ongoing effort by the union movement to tackle work overload issues.

"It's time for trade unions have to take up these new issues. Many workers are happy with the wage they are receiving, but believe they have no control over the rest of their lives.

"Particularly in the emerging gold-collar sectors, we are finding workers have forfeited any sort of control over the hours they work. If ever there was a time when they were working together to stand up for themselves, it appears to be now."

  What are long hours doing to your life?

  See also : Full Labor Council / Newspoll Survey Results

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 1 contents

Interview: Michael Costa
The new Labor Council secretary explains factions, frictions and how to save the union movement.

Unions: Getting Under The Skin
The cash-in-transit industry - known for it's vulnerability to violence and theft - comes under scrutiny as the industry moves to a new "soft skin" operation

History: Remembering the Labor Press
Workers Online is just the latest in a long tradition of publishing by working people and their organisations.

Review: Powderfinger's Political Power Pop
We look at a band who still reckon they can mix music with a bit social commentary.

Campaign Diary: Hartcher Chokes On His Own Uglies
No-one would have been more surprised by last weekï¿½s announcement of the Coalition industrial relations policy than its spokesman on the issue, Chris Hartcher.

» The Overworked - We're Sick, Anti-Social and Sexually Frustrated

» Geeks Blow Up

» The Greatest Act on Earth

» Museum of Contemporary Art calls time

» MEAA Goes Country!