We're working 40 hours a week.Yeah, right

Rotorua residents work at least 10 hours more than the national average, a survey shows.

The 40-hour week is a thing of the past in the city with most people averaging more than 50 hours a week.

Department of Labour statistics show the average working week for full-time employees has not changed significantly since 1991, declining slightly from the 1997 peak of 45.38 to 43.75 hours a week in 2007.

But an informal survey conducted by The Daily Post indicates many of the city's residents work at least 10 hours more than this.

Transport workers had the longest week in figures compiled by Statistics New Zealand in 2007, averaging 41.73 hours, although this includes both full and part-time employees.

Rotorua Taxi Society chairman Tom Hulton said hours were dictated by demand.

"For taxis the maximum number of hours a week is 70 but most drivers would work between 50 and 55. Driving does get quite tiring."

Mr Hulton said drivers worked when there was a demand and took a break when there was not.

The same is true for freight drivers. PBT Transport Ltd supervisor Leroy Phillips said when work had to be done, it had to be done.

Although there were regulations controlling driving hours, Mr Phillips said loading and paperwork pushed most drivers up to about 55 hours a week. Demand also controls working hours in the rural sectors.

Dairy NZ central plateau consulting officer Denis Collins said most dairy farmers were working 55 to 60 hours with calving and milking but this drops to 45 hours or less during the summer.

Staff shortages have pushed up hours for junior doctors in Rotorua, a spokesman says.

Rotorua Hospital medical registrar Dr Jared Green said an average week of 65 hours reduced the hourly pay rate for doctors to about $19.

Police officers also often work an extra hour or two every shift.

In a Daily Post survey on how long local people are working each week, area commander Inspector Bruce Horne told the paper officers could be called back to work for emergencies or to give evidence in court.

"They do get some time off in lieu, but do not get it all back," he said.



Teachers are often thought to work 9am to 3pm and enjoy long holidays but Rotorua Principals' Association president and Westbrook School principal Colin Watkins said teachers were constantly working.

"It's not like picking apples or working under a car. You have to be a charismatic preacher and be on your game the whole time."

Hospitality is an industry that can involve unsociable hours but Bay of Plenty Hospitality Association president Reg Hennessy said wage-earning staff could usually work as many or little hours as they wanted.

"I know some publicans who work up to 90 hours a week and that is not uncommon. I certainly work longer now than I did in the early 1980s," he said.

Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said long hours were typical across the country. "The 40-hour week was introduced because it was thought that people should be able to earn a decent living in that time but there's a good number of people on quite high wages who are under pressure to work longer hours and those on lower wages need to work longer to make ends meet," she said.

"Technology means we are able to do more in less time but people are being given more to do."

Drew Comeskey, a human resources consultant with the Central Employers and Manufacturers Association, said it was not in employers' best interests to force long hours on staff.

"In the current tight labour market, employees who feel employers are pushing them to work longer are not going to stay. Recruitment is a costly exercise."

Rotorua MP Steve Chadwick said she averaged 110 hours a week.