Confederation up in arms on working hours

The Construction Confederation (CC) is promising to mount an intense lobbying campaign in Brussels this autumn against the latest proposals from the European Commission for amending the EU Working Time Directive (CJ 29 September).

The CC is assessing the details of the proposals. These allow a continued opt-out from the maximum 48-hour week – but impose much stricter conditions.

CC director of European affairs Sally Gibbins said: "As initial negotiations commence this month in the European Council and European Parliament, we will be lobbying hard to change the proposals.

"These, if agreed as presented, would severely limit the use of the opt-out and increase administration for employers and employees," Gibbins said.

The proposals would still introduce an absolute limit of 65 hours worked per week – even when there is an opt-out from the standard 48-hour maximum working week.

The CC said the latest proposals appear to take no account of the low level of collective bargaining in the UK.