MEPs voted in December to end the exemption option to the EU Working Time Directive (WTD), which would mean that workers in the UK, if the Directive goes through, would no longer be able to voluntarily choose to work over 48 hours after 2011.
Diplomats on the Conciliation Committee are in the closing stages of agreement on a revision to the WTD. Negotiations on a compromise between the original deal and the parliament’s own version – which call for the opt-out to be phased out within three years – have been put back to 1 April.
In 1993, the UK won a general opt-out clause allowing it not to apply the maximum 48-hour working week if a worker agrees to work. In other member states the opt-out applied only in some sectors.
Currently, more than three million British workers work more than 48 hours a week, according to UK government statistics.
Angela Coleshill, HR director at the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), said the group believes it is a mistake to end the opt-out during an economic downturn, and she maintains that the WTD exemption is key to Britain’s labour market flexibility.
“The food and drink sector needs to be able to respond flexibly to customer demand – this is more important than ever as the sector provides a large number of jobs to the UK economy. It is particularly important to keep these jobs in the UK at this time.”
She said the process is due to be completed by the European Parliament elections in June, and that the FDF remains optimistic that the decision reached will not be damaging to industry.