Opt-out lobby

Those arguing for the retention of the UK's opt-out of the 48-hour working week imposed by the European Working Time Directive are "arguing in favour of drudgery", the head of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has claimed.

In a letter to the Financial Times, the organisation's general secretary Brendan Barber said the move to abolish the opt-out had received "overwhelming" support in the European parliament from a broad range of political parties.

He added that the argument that limiting employees' timesheets to 48 hours a week restricts flexibility are ignoring the fact that the limit can be averaged out over a year, allowing for peaks and troughs in demand.

"What the UK government and the CBI are arguing for is not flexibility but drudgery, working long hours all year round," Mr Barber wrote.

Furthermore, Mr Barber said the contention that the change will hamper Britain's recovery from the recession is "misguided" as the new rules will not apply for another "three or four years".

Last week, MEPs voted 421 to 273 to remove the Working Time Directive opt-out.

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