29/04/2002

UK workers face shorter working week

The European Commission has ordered Britain to close loopholes in its labour laws following a complaint from union, Amicus.

Britain's second biggest union said that the UK government had "unlawfully and inadequately" implemented measures limiting the working week to 48 hours.

As a result Brussels has opened legal action in a drive to force it to implement measures contained within a landmark EU employment directive.

The decision could mean UK workers facing a shorter working week. On average Britons currently work 43.6 hours a week, compared with a European average of 40.3 hours.

The government has around two months to comply with the working time directive, which Tony Blair's administration signed up to soon after coming to power five years ago.

(MB)

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