The European Parliament will take a crucial vote this week on whether or not the UK should retain its opt-out to the European Working Time Directive.
The employment committee of the European Parliament has already voted to remove the clause and the MEPs will vote today (Tuesday) or tomorrow on the right for UK employees to voluntarily work more than 48 hours a week.
Employers groups are lobbying hard to be allowed to keep the opt-out.
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Engineering Employers Forum deputy director of employment policy, David Yeandle, said: “We would urge all UK MEPs to reject these damaging amendments to the commission’s proposal that would remove the individual opt-out and undermine the UK’s labour market flexibility. The government must continue to stand firm and eyeball-to-eyeball with Brussels on this important issue.”
