European Parliament scraps UK workers' overtime rights

17/12/2008

The European Parliament has scrapped UK workers' right to work more than 48 hours per week.

British workers previously had an opt-out from the Working Time Directive – the legislation that allowed workers to put in extra hours.

Business leaders are disappointed, especially with the Labour Party's Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who voted against their own government.

"Given the current economic difficulties, we need to be smarter than ever, and it seems odd that MEPs are taking away people's right to work overtime should they so choose," David Yeandle head of employment policy at EFF told Personnel Today.

One MEP who defied the government was Stephen Hughes. He noted changes would not be immediate. "We are willing to give very long transition periods for some niche sectors," he said

The deputy director of the Confederation of British Industry, John Cridland, has said many people worked longer hours in their job because they wanted to.

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