UK Government Must Not Give In On Working Time Says Euro-MP

4.40.20pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 1st Jun 2005

Ahead of discussions on the Working Time Directive in the Council of Ministers tomorrow, Liberal Democrat Employment spokesperson and Shadow Rapporteur for the ALDE group on the directive Liz Lynne MEP, has urged the UK Government to protect workers rights to opt-out of the directive.

Ministers from across the EU are meeting tomorrow to discuss the Commission's review of the directive. The European Parliament, which has co-decision on this legislation with the Council of Ministers, last month voted to remove the individual and collective agreement opt-out.

Speaking ahead of the meeting Liz Lynne said:

"The TUC once again this week said that it is not good for your health to work more than 48 hours a week, but they are missing the point. We can argue all we want about the correct number of hours people should work, but it is wrong for Trade Unions, Governments or MEPs to tell employees how long they can work. Unless their work has a direct consequence on life and death decisions, workers should have a free choice as to what hours they work and how much overtime pay they can take home.

"Yes we all have a role in advising people on health and safety concerns. All workers are quite rightly, of course, still covered by directives concerning health and safety including the one covering working with dangerous machinery. However, removing the opt-out would lead to more people working illegally and therefore not covered by such legislation. I'm sure the TUC agree that we must clamp down on the black economy not encourage it."

ENDS