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Eu's 48hr Working Week 'Would Reduce Stress'

by Dave Keating | December 15, 2008 at 02:51 am

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The EU has set a 48-hour-per-week cap on the amount of time people in the block can be made to work, however the UK's opt-out relationship with the union allows it to ignore the directive. However British unions are calling today for the UK to volunarily honour the directive.

Signing up to the EU's 48- hours-a-week work limit would help tackle stress and improve health and safety, union officials are claiming.
Britain has opted out of the Working Time Directive but a U-turn would help 'hard-pressed' staff.

'Long hours working makes people ill and it is no surprise most long-hours workers want to reduce their hours,' said TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.

The union's comments came ahead of a crucial debate by MEPs later this week on the opt-out.