By Brian Johnson - 4th November 2008
Scrapping the opt-out would be a bitter pill to swallow for businesses and many hard-working people who want to boost their earnings in difficult economic times
ALDE deputy Liz Lynne on the EU's plans to scrap the UK's opt-out of the 48-hour working week
European parliament plans to scrap the UK’s opt-out from the EU’s working time directive will damage British businesses, ALDE deputy Liz Lynne has warned.
On the eve of Wednesday’s vote by the parliament’s employment committee, Lynne, a vocal supporter of the UK’s opt-out from the 48-hour week, attacked the committee’s Socialist MEPs for agreeing on a position that could see the deal being scrapped.
A number of MEPs on the committee have taken exception to a compromise deal agreed by EU member states in June, which the deputies believe failed to take account of MEPs’ recommendations.
During a tense debate in the committee last month, parliament’s rapporteur on the directive, Socialist deputy Alejandro Cercas, recommended that the committee support his amendments and restore parliament’s first-reading position on three key issues, including scrapping the UK’s opt-out.
“The council failed to take on board any of our core first-reading recommendations,” said Cercas during the meeting.
However, Lynne, shadow rapporteur on the dossier, warns that ending the opt-out will damage UK businesses as well as harming those which rely on overtime pay to boost their earnings.
“The [UK] government’s hard-won deal to retain the opt-out now runs the danger of being ripped apart by socialist MEPs, who have for years been waiting for this controversial dossier to return to the European parliament,” said Lynne.
The UK reached an agreement in June where Britain would support an agency workers directive, which is due to give temporary workers the same pay as permanent staff in return for being allowed to keep its opt-out from the 48-hour week.
“The retention of the UK’s opt-out with more stringent conditions on its use is vital; anyone whose work does not have a direct consequence on life and death decisions should have a free choice as to what hours they work, so long as this is truly voluntary,” argues Lynne.
“Workers are already covered by existing health and safety legislation, including the one covering working with dangerous machinery.
“Scrapping the opt-out would be a bitter pill to swallow for businesses and many hard-working people who want to boost their earnings in difficult economic times.
“Gordon Brown now faces a huge test of his leadership in securing the support of his own Labour MEPs, who have consistently voted to remove the UK’s opt-out of the 48-hour week.”
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