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EU tries (and fails) yet again to scrap our 48-hour working week opt-out
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,721 Bot
Says the Beeb: "The UK's opt-out from the European Working Time Directive will remain in place after attempts by the European Parliament to phase it out failed. The opt-out enables UK workers to work more than 48 hours a week. Euro MPs wanted it phased out over three years. But talks between MEPs, member states and the European Commission failed to reach agreement on how to proceed."
This is one of those issues which constantly pisses me off. It's safe to say that my job pays pretty badly, and I resent these attempts by extremely well-paid politicians to tell me that I can't work more than a certain number of hours per week. Obviously there should be legislation in place to prevent people from being forced to work every hour of the day against their will - and there already is. But why should a politician be allowed to tell me how much work I can do?
Over to you.
This is one of those issues which constantly pisses me off. It's safe to say that my job pays pretty badly, and I resent these attempts by extremely well-paid politicians to tell me that I can't work more than a certain number of hours per week. Obviously there should be legislation in place to prevent people from being forced to work every hour of the day against their will - and there already is. But why should a politician be allowed to tell me how much work I can do?
Over to you.
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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Comments
Personally I think that you should be able to live on a 48-hour-week's wages and if you can't your employer is robbing you blind. There are some professions where longer hours are needed, but not many, and not consistently.
Some people should stop opposing anyting that comes out of the EU by default and see it as an attack on 'British independence', and realise such measures are there to protect ordinary people. Too bad that a lot of folk adhere to arguments and claims of the right wing press (which of course is only serving the interests of its tycoon, large employer proprietors) without stopping to think.
If people want to work longer hours then fine, let them. I personally don't want to.
Most people I know who work overtime could live on 48 hours a week. I could, I don't get paid badly at all. But I like having overtime available to me, a bit of extra cash is always welcome. I generally work between 50 and 60 hours a week - from time to time it's more than that.
When it comes down to it I like the fact I have choice, which is surely the way it should be. If I don't lke it I wouldn't do it, and maybe look for another job.
The only time I've worked those sorts of hours is when I've needed to, either financially or because the workplace was so badly understaffed that the work couldn't be done otherwise. Coincidentally, that was the job where I was earning £11,500pa for a 37.5 hour basic week.
Maybe there 's other ways to go about protecting the people you talk about without taking away the availablity of overtime for those that truely want to work it, like myself. Why should I suffer here?
I work and travel nationwide and often do 19 hour days. It would prevent me from doing my job so effectively and without a doubt it would result in higher costs for our customers. It just doesn't make sense to me - especially in the current climate.
Seeing as I only get a set 200 extra a week for being on call + any call out hours I'd earn fuck all money if it were a quiet week.
It's either that or my company having to pay me for normal wage for my time on call where I might not even be earnign them any money.
It wouldn't benifit anybody.
I think it's one of those situations where there isn't a good compromise. Employees should be allowed to choose to work more if they want, but employers can't be trusted to make that a valid choice. Signing a piece of paper is far too open to abuse and it is frequently abused.
I know plenty of people who work in the care industry, as a random example, who 'voluntarily' choose to work 70 hour weeks. Their 'choice' is that they work the hours or find a new job. The 'overtime' is paid at minimum wage.
It's the same for most people working at the bottom of the pile- cleaners, security guards, retail workers, they all get exploited by their employers because of the opt-out.
Sadly, though, I don't think the EWTD will actually work. Instead of getting paid for the work, the people at the bottom of the pile will end up doing unofficial overtime instead, and they won't get paid for it.