Work hard tonight, Darling

5.25.50pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 1st Jun 2006

As Alistair Darling faces a difficult late night negotiation with EU Ministers on a new compromise to EU rules on our working limits, West Midlands Liberal Democrats MEP and Employment Spokesperson Liz Lynne urged the UK Government to accept nothing that would jeopardise British interests.

Speaking in Brussels today, Ms Lynne commented "I welcome attempts in the compromise to retain the opt out with more stringent conditions on its use, as shadow draftsperson for the Liberal and Democrat Group this is what I pushed for in the European Parliament."

"UK Ministers must remember that many of the Member States calling for the scrapping of the opt out are using other ways to get round working time regulations, like multiple contracts with the same employer, making a mockery of the whole directive. Working hours should apply to the person not the job."

"Those seeking to scrap the opt out fail to address the real problems that this will cause, especially for those employed in seasonal work or on short term contracts. Removing the opt out would also lead to more people working illegally and therefore not covered by other Health and Safety legislation including the one covering working with dangerous machinery. We must clamp down on the black economy not encourage it."

The EU's Austrian presidency will today propose that any employee who uses the right to opt out of EU limits on working time and work more than 48 hours a week should be allowed to change their mind in an annual contract renewal, something that Liz Lynne originally called for in the European Parliament.

Employers would also have to explain why long hours were required. But that may not be enough to satisfy France and other countries who want to abolish the individual and collective agreement opt-out.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Liz Lynne MEP is shadow rapporteur on the working time directive for the ALDE group.On 10 May 2005 the European Parliament voted 345 votes in favour with 264 against Cercas' report on the review of the Working Time Directive. The most significant element for the UK was agreement on the amendment to phase-out the individual opt-out to the 48 hour week 36 months after entry into force of the new directive. 378 MEPs voted in favour of this amendment, 262 against.

If an agreement is reached in the Council of Ministers the report will return to Parliament for a second reading.

For further information, comment or to book an interview, please telephone Liz Lynne on 003222845521 (Brussels) or 077644 52725(mobile) or Press Officer Ollie Newham on 01789 266354