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[forum admin]

Possibly everybody knows this as it is six months old but I didn't.

Discuss?
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The UK's decision to opt-out of the European Union's working time directive has been welcomed by Louise Morgan, the senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

She argued that businesses are primarily attracted to Britain because of its flexible labour market.

The EU's directive compromises this by regulating the market, stipulating appropriate working hours, breaks and holidays in order to protect employees.

Britain has agreed to the new legislation but has negotiated an opt-out of the law requiring employees to work no more than 48 hours a week.

"It's about workers having the right to choose their own working hours and employers having the flexibility to respond to peaks in demand," Ms Morgan commented.

She concluded that although there are still restrictions in place, the opt-out is a "good deal".

[Robin Tetley]

My personal thoughts on this are that the UK shouldn't have opted out. Flexible labour market? What exactly does that mean? One can be as flexible as one likes but still not work more than 48 hours per week.

Does anybody know any more about this? I wonder if the UK had remained "in" that an individual could opt out or would it mean one size fits all?

[Bob]

I don't agree. We're Britain and we should be run by ourselves rather than a Parliament that can't possibly understand how dozens of countries individually run. We aren't the united states of Europe. I'm glad we opted out of this.

[Gota]

I'm not so sure. Are you telling me there are no ruthless employers out there who could force low paid workers to do a horrible long week. If the UK had remained in this directive those people would have protection. Now they wont I assume.

[Bob]

If bosses would make workers do a horrible long week despite the current law I don't think a new European rule will make them change there minds. Dodgy people will always flout the law. If we set our own rules rather than being ruled with an iron rod from the centre of Europe we would have control over this kind of thing.

[Robin Tetley]

I don't know if I'm in the minority in England, possibly I am, but I think the European Union and parliament is a good thing. I think people like UKIP and their ilk mostly play to peoples worst thoughts and fears. Let alone the BNP who I must stress I AM NOT comparing to UKIP.