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Press Release

Working hours freedom – good news

28 April 2009

Keeping the freedom to choose working hours is good news for UK workers and businesses, said the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

The BRC has long resisted EU attempts to take away the right of UK workers to opt out of the 48 hour working week limit imposed by the Working Time Directive.

Brussels negotiations on the text of a new working time agreement have failed. This means the UK will keep the opt-out to the 48 hour working week. The BRC has praised the UK Government for honouring its promise to maintain its stance that the opt-out must be retained.

British Retail Consortium Business Director Jane Milne said: "Keeping the freedom to decide how many hours they work is good news for British workers. Why should Brussels stop people choosing to do overtime for extra pay, particularly when personal finances are under pressure?

"Long hours are not common in retailing, indeed over 60 per cent of staff work part-time, but retail businesses need the flexibility to be able to match staffing levels with peaks and troughs in customer demand.

"There is no right time to slap new restrictions on individuals or businesses but it would be even more wrong during a recession. The UK Government should continue to stand firm and resist any future attempts to impose this on us."



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British Retail Consortium

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