by Kate Holman in Brussels
LAST-minute talks on revision of the European Union’s Working Time Directive ended in failure in Brussels in the early hours of Tuesday morning, as a “blocking minority” of governments led by Britain rejected all moves to end the controversial national opt-out provision.
The breakdown of negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers means that no deal can be reached before the European elections in June, and so the revision proposals fall.
In December, MEPs voted overwhelmingly to end the opt-out which permits employees to work more than the legal average 48-hour week. Although it was originally formulated as an interim measure, British ministers insist it is vital to the British economy and have resisted all efforts to phase it out.
The leader of the EP delegation, Mechtild Rothe, said MEPs had shown a willingness to compromise and accused Council representatives of refusing to make any concessions.
Labour MEP Stephen Hughes, who has been in the forefront of the fight against the opt-out, said the Council’s position would have left workers worse off than under the existing legislation, with a longer, 12-month reference period, inactive on-call time excluded from working time, and a permanent opt-out in force. “The Council wanted it all ways. It’s a real shame”, he concluded.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber also expressed disappointment: “When many employers are moving to short-time working, the need for an opt-out of the 48-hour week is even more out of date.”
