Working time and employment relations

This chapter turns to working time—its length, its pattern, and its use. It commences with an overview of the importance of working time as an employment relations issue and how it can be understood before discussing some key trends relating to the duration of working time. Next, the chapter switches to flexible working time arrangements, including a critical assessment of the rise of employment contracts that do not offer any guaranteed minimum hours of work, so-called ‘zero-hours contracts’ (ZHCs). The chapter then examines how working time is used, with a particular emphasis on explaining increased levels of work intensity. The EU Working Time Directive and the Working Time Regulations (WTR) in the UK mean that some working time matters have become more strictly regulated by law. The chapter looks at this legislation, explains why it has been controversial, and considers its implications.