by Kate Holman
A CONCILIATION meeting aimed at finding a compromise on the long-delayed revision of the European Union’s controversial Working Time Directive has failed to reach agreement.
Representatives of the Council and European Parliament will meet again on April 1. But with just weeks before Parliament breaks up before the European elections, the chances of a deal look increasingly thin.
Disagreement centres on Britain’s opt-out which allows employees to “choose” to work more than 48 hours each week. The Labour Government claims this is vital to the British economy, but research indicates widespread abuse by employers.
In December the Parliament defied EU leaders and voted overwhelmingly to end the opt-out, with Labour MEPs split 13-5 against the British Government line.
Stephen Hughes – one of the Labour MEPs who opposed the opt-out – said progress in the negotiations was “painfully slow”. He added: “We are trying to isolate the UK and expose the fact that they are desperate to hang on to an opt-out they don’t need.”
TUC working time expert Paul Sellers said: “Unions will keep up the pressure for an end to the opt-out and for on-call time to be treated as time at work. In a week when the Danish government has started to pay compensation to night workers suffering from breast cancer, no one can deny that working time is a key health and safety issue.”
If no revision is agreed, the existing 1993 legislation will stay in force.
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