UK continues to opt out of Working Time Directive
June 13, 2008
The Government has announced this week that it has negotiated the retention of its opt-out of EU working time laws again, securing what it sees as the "right for UK workers to choose to work longer than 48 hours a week".
The new agreement in Europe was reached by Ministers on both the Working Time Directive (93/104/EC) and the Agency Workers Directive (COD 2002/0149) at the EU Employment Council. UK Ministers argued the deal was needed to maintain the UK's labour market flexibility, while ensuring workers are treated fairly.
In the past union groups, including the Trades Union Congress (TUC), have attacked business groups and the Government for wanting to keep the opt-out and called on the EU to enforce the 48-hour week in the UK to protect workers’ health.
According to a TUC analysis of official statistics released on 6 June 2008, 3.3 million people are now working more than 48 hours a week across the UK. The union is calling for a stronger Working Time Directive to protect employees.
TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, said, "After slow but steady progress over the last decade, long hours working is making its way back into Britain's workplaces. Employees across the UK already work the longest hours in Western Europe and the recent increase will mean lower productivity, more stress and less time to have a life outside the office with friends and family."
The Government says the latest agreement represents security for people to work more than 48 hours a week, an arrangement that has been in place in the UK for a decade.
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