Extreme working hours have radically increased in many western European countries since the start of the 1990s

The length of the working week has traditionally been a key issue for social democratic and labour movements, but how have European working patterns changed in recent decades? Anna S. Burger presents findings from a recent study on working hours. She writes that in many western European countries the frequency of individuals working ‘extreme hours’ of more than 50 hours per week has increased substantially, particularly among high skilled male workers. She notes that some of this may be attributable to the effects of globalisation, but that national labour regulations and welfare reforms also play a role in working hour trends.