UK's opt out of the EU 48 hour week "under threat" (Bromsgrove Liberal Democrats)

Bromsgrove Liberal Democrats <raygeoffray@aol.com>

UK's opt out of the EU 48 hour week "under threat"

November 4, 2008 5:18 PM
Originally published by West Midlands Liberal Democrats

Liz Lynne MEP at Coventry FC football stadium. Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne, shadow rapporteur on the Working Time Directive for the Liberal and Democrat group in the European Parliament, has today warned the UK's opt out from the Working Time Directive is likely to be scrapped in a vote tomorrow by Socialist MEP's, including by Labour MEPs, in the first stage of the Parliament's review of the latest agreement reached by EU Member States on the Working Time Directive.

The UK reached an agreement in June with other Member States whereby Britain would support an agency workers directive, which is due to give temporary workers the same pay as permanent staff after only 12 weeks in a job, in return for being allowed to keep its opt-out from the 48 hour week. But Socialist MEPs now want this deal overturned and have tabled amendments to delete the UK's opt out of the 48 hour week.

Liz has been a vocal supporter of the UK's opt- out, so long as it is truly voluntary, and believes that ending the deal would seriously damage UK businesses as well as harming those who rely on over-time pay to boost their earnings.

Commenting ahead of the vote on Wednesday morning Liz said;

"The 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."

"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. 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."

ENDS

Liz Lynne MEP is Vice President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee and is the shadow rapporteur for the Liberal and Democrat Group in the European Parliament for both the Working Time Directive and the Temporary Agency Workers Directive.

Both of these directives are subject to the co-decision procedure, with the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament having equal power to amend legislation.

Following the agreement reached in the Council of Ministers on the 8th June, the Working Time Directive has now returned to Parliament for a second reading, where the Parliament has the power to amend it.

If the Employment and Social Affairs Committee votes to scrap the UK's opt out this Wednesday then informal negotiations will begin between the Parliament and EU employment ministers, ahead of the adoption of a second reading report by the whole of the European Parliament in December.