'Carry on working' deal's survival is welcomed

Apr 29 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal

WORKERS can continue to put in extra hours to keep companies going after efforts to curb Britain’s opt-out from Europe’s 48-hour working week were scuppered.

Business leaders in the North East voiced relief yesterday that the latest in a series of meetings between EU officials and Euro-MPs had broken down and the UK could labour on unchecked by the Working Time Directive.

Employment Relations Minister Pat McFadden said: “We refused to be pushed into a bad deal for Britain. We have said consistently that we will not give up the opt-out and we have delivered on that pledge. Everyone has the right to basic protections surrounding the hours that they work, but it is also important that they have the right to choose those hours.”

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: “Millions of people are better off because of the opt-out and I am relieved we have been able to resist its removal.”

The UK used to be the only defender of the opt-out, but now 14 other member states take advantage of it.