Footnotes

• Contributors PL drafted the letter to the editor after discussion with the coauthors. The coauthors reviewed the draft, edited the letter and approved the letter.

• Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

• Competing interests JL is the PI of a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), CDC, funded research grant on long working hours and cardiovascular disease mortality. GS has received honoraria from NIOSH for grant reviews. PL (as a consultant) and MD (as Associate Director) receive consulting fees from the Center for Social Epidemiology, Marina Del Rey, California, USA, which conducts public education on working conditions (particularly on work organisation) and employee health. PS is Director, Center for Social Epidemiology. PL has also received consulting fees from the American Federation of Teachers for the development of educational materials for union members on work organisation and health.

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.