Working time vote is good news for majority of long hours workers in the UK

Todayís decision by the Council of Ministers to extend the UKís exemption from the EU working time directive is good news for the three quarters of long hours workers who choose to work long hours, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Its research has shown that the vast majority of long hours workers are not forced to work long hours. It also counters the claim that employees are forced into signing the opt-out clause at the same time as signing their employment contracts.

Ben Willmott, Employee Relations Adviser, comments, ìWhile we donít discount the problems that long hours working can create, we believe that removal of the opt-out would have been the wrong way to address the issue. The small minority of cases of employer abuse should be tackled through better enforcement and raising awareness of existing regulations, while the health risks should be addressed by educating managers and employees of the need to focus more on work outputs than hours worked.

ìWe believe, instead that the Government should continue to encourage and extend flexible working arrangements, an area where the UK leads the rest of Europe.î

The Calling Time on Working Time? report, a survey of 750 long hours workers who work more than 48 hours, addresses many of the issues covered in the European Parliamentís report on working time that was approved last month. It shows that:

More than three-quarters of long hours workers say that they do so as a result of their own choice.
Fewer than a third of employees sign an opt-out clause at the same time as signing their employment contracts.
10% of employees report that long hours working causes damaging physical effects, while 17% cite mental health problems.

Willmott concludes, ìA decision to end the opt-out would have removed the freedom to choose to work longer hours ñ a freedom that is valued by the majority of long hours workers. And contrary to the views of many, including the European Parliamentís rapporteur on the issue, abuse of the opt-out is not widespread.

ìWe believe that better enforcement and awareness of legislation and greater access to flexible working beyond the current arrangements are the most effective ways of tackling the health and safety and productivity problems associated with long hours working. And with two-thirds of UK organisations having increased their flexible working provision in the past two years, we believe that the longstanding fall in the working hours of the average UK employee looks set to continue and accelerate.î