EU Working Time Directive News Feed

Driving and Rest Times Updated

2005.12.23

The European Parliament and the Council have agreed on the draft European legislation to improve driving times and rest periods for professional drivers and step up checks on lorries.

Another Failure To Agree

2005.12.09

EU employment ministers have again failed to reach a deal on rules for working long hours, despite the UK's shift on the opt out clause from the 48-hour week.

Availability is the Essential Ingredient

2005.11.25

The Freight Transport Association have carried out their latest quarterly survey on the impact of the Road Transport Directive on the transport sector.

Narrowing Gender Pay Gap

2005.11.11

There was a narrowing in the gender pay gap last year thanks to the number of women breaking through the glass ceiling into higher paid jobs and the consequent effect on employers of high-profile discrimination cases.

Breakthrough For Britain's Army Of Carers

2005.10.28

The Government's plans to extend the right to request flexible working to carers is a massive breakthrough for thousands of UK workers who care for sick and disabled relatives.

BBC Admits Working Time Error

2005.10.14

About 11,000 BBC employees received back pay they did not expect, after the corporation discovered it may have unwittingly been in breach of the Working Time Directive.

NHS Treading A Thin Line

2005.09.30

According to a new study, NHS Trusts risk legal action by allowing junior doctors to deliberately breach the European Working Time Directive.

Transport Coping Without Opt Out

2005.09.16

The FTA have said that the prospective cost to UK industry of losing the opt out to the Working Time Directive and restricting working hours to 48 per week will be enormous.

Austria's Itchy Feet

2005.09.02

With four months still remaining of the current British EU presidency, Austria are already making plans for when they take over in the new year, and reform of the Working Time Directive is likely to be at the forefront of the agenda.

Increased Health Risks From Long Hours

2005.08.19

New research released today has shown that Britain's long-hours culture greatly increases the risk of suffering injury or illness whilst at work.

Offshore Workers

2005.08.05

Trade Union Amicus has won a difinitive test case ruling that the Working Time Directive should be applied to all UK oil workers in employment offshore.

NHS Working Hours

2005.07.22

A recent report in the British Medical Journal has warned that many doctors within the NHS are exhausted following the adoption of the European Union Working Time Directive.

Hauliers Fear Crisis Over EU Rules

2005.07.08

The Road Haulage Association is appalled that the European Parliament has voted to end the use of the working time directive opt out.

Time Off Leads To Longer Hours

2005.06.24

Well-meaning but misguided politicians have created Europe's long working hours culture by introducing social policies that allow people too much time off.

UK Wins Round One

2005.06.10

The first stage of the fight to maintain the UK opt out from the European Working Time Directive has been won, and it is Britain who has come away with the spoils.

WTD vs RTD

2005.05.27

Moves are afoot in the European Parliament to extend the influence of the Working Time Directive so that all workers within the European Union would be restricted to work below 48 hours per week.