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Long Work Hours: Volunteers and Conscripts

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  • Robert Drago
  • Mark Wooden
  • David Black

Abstract

Using panel survey data from Australia, we divide long hours workers (persons reporting usually working 50 or more hours per week) into groups of ‘volunteers’, who prefer long hours, and ‘conscripts’, who do not. We study both the static and dynamic prevalence of the phenomenon. Norms surrounding ideal workers and consumerism play major roles in explaining conscript status, with bargaining power less important. The self‐employed often appear as volunteers or conscripts, while gender, rather than motherhood, is a strong predictor of shorter work hours. Both the demand and supply sides of the labour market play a role in explaining the prevalence of long hours conscripts.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Drago & Mark Wooden & David Black, 2009. "Long Work Hours: Volunteers and Conscripts," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 47(3), pages 571-600, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:47:y:2009:i:3:p:571-600
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2009.00717.x
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    Cited by:

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    2. Iain Campbell, 2007. "Long Working Hours in Australia: Working-Time Regulation and Employer Pressures," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 17(2), pages 37-68, April.
    3. Hendrik Schmitz & Ansgar Wübker, 2011. "What determines influenza vaccination take‐up of elderly Europeans?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(11), pages 1281-1297, November.
    4. Robert Breunig & Xiaodong Gong & Gordon Leslie, 2015. "The Dynamics of Satisfaction with Working Hours in Australia: The Usefulness of Panel Data in Evaluating the Case for Policy Intervention," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 2(1), pages 130-154, January.
    5. Gerold, Stefanie & Nocker, Matthias, 2018. "More Leisure or Higher Pay? A Mixed-methods Study on Reducing Working Time in Austria," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 27-36.
    6. Lucía Artazcoz & Imma Cortès-Franch & Vicenta Escribà-Agüir & María López & Fernando G. Benavides, 2018. "Long Working Hours and Job Quality in Europe: Gender and Welfare State Differences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-15, November.
    7. Stefanie Gerold & Matthias Nocker, 2015. "Reduction of Working Time in Austria. A Mixed Methods Study Relating a New Work Time Policy to Employee Preferences. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 97," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58139, April.
    8. Frei, Irina & Grund, Christian, 2017. "Antecedents of Overtime Work: The Case of Junior Academics," IZA Discussion Papers 11065, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Cathy Honge Gong & Xiaojun He, 2019. "Factors Predicting Voluntary and Involuntary Workforce Transitions at Mature Ages: Evidence from HILDA in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-20, October.
    10. Argyro Avgoustaki & Almudena Cañibano, 2020. "Motivational Drivers of Extensive Work Effort: Are Long Hours Always Detrimental to Well‐being?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 355-398, July.
    11. Mark Wooden & Robert Drago, 2007. "The Changing Distribution of Working Hours in Australia," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2007n19, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.

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    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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