LIB DEMS ATTACK EUROPEAN COMMISSION PLANS ON WORKING TIME RULES

12.56.11pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 22nd Sep 2004

Liberal Democrat MEPs today attacked proposals aimed

at challenging the British opt-out from the EU Working

Time Directive.

On the day that the European Commission unveiled a

plan to involve trade unions in negotiating

arrangements for employees to work more than 48 hours

a week, the Liberal Democrats toughened their approach

towards the EU by declaring it a step too far.

Liz Lynne MEP, the party's employment spokesman in the

European Parliament, said that it must be left to

individuals to decide how many hours they wished to

work.

"We want employees to have the protection of law from

being forced to work excessive hours against their

will, but it should be up to them to decide if they

want to earn extra overtime payments.

"Only 20% of workers even belong to a trade union in

Britain so it is quite wrong for the European

Commission to assume that the unions can be involved

in negotiating on behalf of everybody."

Liberal Democrats have used their party conference

this week to insist that, while content to be known as

Britain most pro-European party, they regard

themselves as constructive critics campaigning for EU

reform and improvement.