One in three night workers in the South West earns less than £10 a day, research shows
Trade Union the TUC is calling for better pay and conditions for the 3.2 million workers affected.
Last updated 30th Oct 2021
One in three night workers are earning less than £10 an hour, with key workers suffering as research shows they are twice as likely to do a night shift compared to others.
Research by union body the TUC shows one in three or 33% of night-workers are earning just 50p short of what will soon be the new minimum wage, despite the health risks that come with working nights and the added 'disruption' it causes to our lives.
The news comes just a day after it was announced the national minimum wage will increase for over 23 -year-olds - to £9.50 an hour from next year - compared to £8.91.
The studies show 16% of key workers work overnight compared to others and it goes further to say care workers are the most likely to work night shifts - but many are on zero hours contracts and earn less than £10 an hour.
The TUC is calling for a number of measures to protect workers including 'proper pay', compensation for shift changes at short notice and new laws to ensure employees always have sufficient notice of their shift patterns.
The risk associated with getting to work at night has also been raised, with the TUC urging employers to consider the potential health hazards.