Laurel and union agree on 48-hour initiative
Laurel will work towards implementing a 48-hour working week for pub managers who request it, as part of a drive to encourage employees to "work smarter".
The move comes following discussions with the National Association of Licensed House Managers (NAHLM), which resulted in Laurel recognising European Working Time Regulations. Laurel said it was part of a drive to give the trade a more professional image and encourage managers to make more efficient use of their time, but stressed they were still free to decide their own hours. The company has started a joint project with NAHLM to look at managers' current working hours and best practice.
Keith Luxon, Laurel human resources policy director, said: "We recognise there is an element of choice as to the hours worked by managers, and many demands are made on their time. However, we both accept that consistently working in excess of the Working Time Regulations can be unproductive." Luxon said the perception that pubs could only be run efficiently by being on site "24/7" was off-putting to potential new recruits. "It is possible to run a pub successfully in a shorter number of hours, " he said. "One way is to take on more assistant manager and this is an area we will be looking into. Assistants are a group that is in many ways neglected across the trade."
Laurel believes the European Commission will eventually ban Britain's opt-out of the 48-hour week. Peter Love, NAHLM national officer, said: "The agreement we reached with Laurel is an example of a reasonable and responsible employer who accepts that they have a duty of care to their employees." However, there are concerns that the 48-hour week will mean a drop in salary, a suggestion vigorously denied by Luxon.
Dave Daly, NAHLM regional delegate and manager of Cahoots in Blackpool, said: "When you come into this trade you accept the long hours that go with the large salary. There are fears that our salaries will reflect a 48-hour week, and they will try to take money off the likes of me to put into assistant managers."
