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Britain's Long 'Binge' Working Hours Culture Returns The new TUC report, The Return of the Long Hours Culture was prompted by the recent debate around the UK’s continueing opt-out of the Working Time Directive. The report states that:
The report can be downloaded by clicking on the pic above. The new agreement in Europe was reached by Ministers on both the Working Time Directive (03/88/EC) and the Agency Workers Directive (COM(2002) 149 final) at the EU Employment Council, with UK Ministers arguing the deal was needed to maintain the UK's labour market flexibility, while ensuring workers are treated fairly. Commenting on the deal, Business Secretary John Hutton is quoted by Croner's as saying, "This is a very good deal for the UK. It provides a fair deal for workers, without damaging Britain's economic competitiveness or putting jobs at risk This agreement means that people remain free to earn overtime and businesses can cope during busy times." Related news item: People Working Over 48 Hours A Week Increases To 3.3 Million Source: Croner's / TUC
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As the Government applauds its continued opt-out from the EU Working Time Directive, in supporting business needs and the smoke screen argument that it has secured the, "right for UK workers to choose to work longer than 48 hours a week", the return of the long working hours 'binge' is now evident according to a recent analysis of official statistics by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) It says that an extra 180,000 people across the UK are working more than 48 hours a week in 2008.