TUC
calls for the removal of UK
opt-out from EU Working Time Directive fly in face of the views of workers
themselves, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
(CIPD).
The
TUC report, More time for
families: tackling the long hours crisis in UK
workplaces, claims overworked parents do not have the time to see much of their
children during the week or spend much time on family activities at weekends.
However,
Mike Emmott, CIPD employee
relations adviser, said research showed that the majority of people actually
working more than 48 hours per week chose to do so.
"The
issue of long-hours working is complex, deep-seated and ingrained in the
culture of organisations. It cannot be addressed by a uniform ban,” he said.
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“CIPD
research shows that persistent long-hours working can have negative effects,
but these would be best solved by employer measures such as flexible working
arrangements rather than a blanket ban on long-hours working.”