A recent vote in the European Parliament means that the UK may be forced to limit the working week to an average of 48 hours calculated over a reference period of twelve months. MEPs also decided that on-call time should count as working time.

With 421 MEPs voting to scrap the opt-out and 273 voting to keep it (and with 11 abstentions), the issue will now be passed to the European Council for further discussion before a final decision is reached.

If the opt-out is axed, the new measures will come into effect in three years time, much to the dismay of many British employers. John Cridland, Deputy Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry, called the decision “misguided”. He went on to comment that, “Many people want to work longer hours, in professions ranging from manufacturing to medical research. They do so to further their careers or earn extra money, or to help their firm through difficulties. They should be able to do so if they choose.”

Conversely, Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, said of the outcome: “This is an early Christmas present for Britain’s hardest workers, and for the families who see too little of them. Members of the European Parliament have courageously defied the abusers and the slave-drivers over the loss of the ‘right’ to work people till they drop”.

However, Britain is unlikely to give up the opt-out without a fight, and has already entered into talks with EU ministers in a bid to keep it. A final decision will be reached in 2009.

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