Workers would cut pay to save jobs

A survey of 2,500 adults by campaign group Keep Britain Working showed that almost a third would accept a cut in pay or benefits, one in five would apply for a sabbatical on reduced pay and half would agree to change their role entirely if it helped avoid redundancies.

But workers wanted managers to make sacrifices themselves, with some prepared to consider industrial action or even occupy an office or factory rather than accept wholesale job cuts.

James Reed, founder of the campaign, which is backed by both sides of industry, said: "There seems to be a new altruism at work. If people believe that being flexible about their own employment conditions will help stem job losses they will take on change and make personal sacrifices, especially if bosses do their bit.

"Indeed people are full of innovative and effective ways to help employers cope with the downturn other than by simply cutting jobs. Over 400 ideas, practical examples and advice have already been submitted to the Keep Britain Working website since it was set up only last month, with more supporters joining all the time."

Workers in Wales, south west England, Scotland and the North East were most likely to be willing to accept a pay cut, while those in Northern Ireland and the East Midlands were most prepared to strike if their managers did not share sacrifices.