48 Hours Max Work Per Week

[Irate Ian]

Yet another crazy EU Law soon to be enforced upon us here in UK by Brussels Bureaucrats.


UK opt out of the 48 hour rule negotiated by John Major 15 years ago to permit us to work up to 70 hours per week if we choose or want to is to be removed, making it illegal to work over 48 hrs p.w. average over 3 month period.


Anyone who thought they might do overtime & work harder to overcome the credit crunch or personal financial difficulties, will be prevented from doing so under these stupid EU regulations.


They will continue to oppress and dictate to us, the longer we stay in their expensive club.


THIS IS clearly what it's all about BEING IN THE FREE MARKET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!













As the Sun normally says. You couldn't make it up.

 

[Ron Manager]

Or to spin it another way, this will stop employers cutting their workforce down and putting pressure on workers (with the threat of redundancy in the current climate being so strong) into doing the work of 3 staff members by working all the hours god sends.

I can see both sides of the argument if I'm honest but there has to be some sort of legal safeguards against unscrupulous employers taking advantage of a culture of fear. Bear in mind that in most jobs all these extra hours are unpaid so it isn't the case of working longer to earn more.

 

[Irate Ian]

Or to spin it another way, this will stop employers cutting their workforce down and putting pressure on workers (with the threat of redundancy in the current climate being so strong) into doing the work of 3 staff members by working all the hours god sends.

I can see both sides of the argument if I'm honest but there has to be some sort of legal safeguards against unscrupulous employers taking advantage of a culture of fear. Bear in mind that in most jobs all these extra hours are unpaid so it isn't the case of working longer to earn more.

Basic Freedom of choice is at threat and the errosion of individual choice.

If someone chooses or wants to work longer hours, are you saying they need to be legislated against to protect themselves ?

If so where does it end ? Put a ban on every basic human right & freedom ?

They know the suns rays are harmful to our health, so maybe they will limit sun bathing to 45 minutes a day or average of 3 hours a week ?

The "Land of the Free" USA is probably the most oppressed of people on this planet and we are headed that way also.

They are removing ours [and Irelands] opt out and why 48 hours ?

Jease, I am self-employed and if I am busy enough will work 80 hours or more to provide service clients are accustommed to and no-one will dictate to me how much or little work I might do.

Irate... no .... livid.

The most basic of human rights to work as much as we choose in order to provide for our families should never be taken away from us.

 

[Swiss Tony]

Basic Freedom of choice is at threat and the errosion of individual choice.

If someone chooses or wants to work longer hours, are you saying they need to be legislated against to protect themselves ?

If so where does it end ? Put a ban on every basic human right & freedom ?

They know the suns rays are harmful to our health, so maybe they will limit sun bathing to 45 minutes a day or average of 3 hours a week ?

The "Land of the Free" USA is probably the most oppressed of people on this planet and we are headed that way also.

They are removing ours [and Irelands] opt out and why 48 hours ?

Jease, I am self-employed and if I am busy enough will work 80 hours or more to provide service clients are accustommed to and no-one will dictate to me how much or little work I might do.

Irate... no .... livid.

The most basic of human rights to work as much as we choose in order to provide for our families should never be taken away from us.

Do what the rest of Europe does,just ignore them.

 

[Irate Ian]

Then next it will be the prospect of Enforcement Officers, like parking wardens raiding your premises to inspect rotas etc to police the crazy laws that is worrying and issuing on the spot fines, for working too hard.

 

[steveo]

Or to spin it another way, this will stop employers cutting their workforce down and putting pressure on workers (with the threat of redundancy in the current climate being so strong) into doing the work of 3 staff members by working all the hours god sends.

This is the view of someone who presumably doesnt know what its like to run a business.

Say that business is struggling badly. The owner wants to keep going and has to cut costs.
1) He can half his staff and they all work longer hours, their choice, and keep their jobs
2) He can keep all of his staff, continue to struggle as he cant afford them and eventually fold, so they are all out of work.
3) He can half his staff, not get the job done properly and fold anyway, meaning they all lose their job.

These laws are usually made by people who have no practical idea of the real world and have never run a business in their life.


The other side effect, people who want to work longer wont be able to, but they still need the money. So, they get a 2nd job, which pays cash in hand.

Their main firm has to employ more people to get the job done, which costs them more money, rather than pay one person to work longer. The new firm dont pay any NI, holiday or sick pay as the arent on the books.

Who benefits?

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I see Libertien's point. I have worked at many places where the choice of weather you do 90 hours a week was down to the employer. That is not freedom of choice.

They would put so much pressure on you to do the overtime even if you had plans and I am sure that their motives were not to ensure that you made more money either.

I worked at a printers in Basildon for 4 years back in the early 90's when HR and employee rights were un heard of. I was pressured in to doing at least 2 to 3 extra shifts a week meaning doing an 18 hour shift on a Tuesday, Thursday and either a Saturday or Sunday. The basic message was do it or P**s of up the road.

 

[steveo]

The basic message was do it or P**s of up the road.

So you did have the option not to do it then.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

So you did have the option not to do it then.

:D

Yeah, i guess the option of the doll queue or a job was such a fair option to be given!!!

 

[Southminster_Shrimper]

I thought individuals had to opt out and that this rule has always been applied. People just had the option to opt out of it.

I remember a few years back signing a form to "opt out" of the max 48 hour per week average.

If thats the case, its always applied. I thought they were removing peoples right or opportunity to opt out if they wanted.

But then things may have changed while I wasnt looking....;)

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I think that the important thing is what is written in your contract of Employment.

My missus deals with this issue on a regular basis, would be interesting to get her view.

 

[steveo]

:D

Yeah, i guess the option of the doll queue or a job was such a fair option to be given!!!

But the choice is there to work for the place or look for something else.

I am sure there were people there who wanted the long hours and the extra money they could earn. Do you think its fair to remove this option for them?

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

But the choice is there to work for the place or look for something else.

I am sure there were people there who wanted the long hours and the extra money they could earn. Do you think its fair to remove this option for them?

As fair as telling someone to do double the hours of a normal week.....and if you refuse then you are sacked

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Recent research for the TUC showed that almost four million people worked more than 48 hours a week, with 2.4 million of them receiving no overtime payment. According to the TUC, two-thirds of British workers who work more than 48 hours have not been asked to opt out, and one in four were not given a choice about doing so, even though it is illegal.

 

[steveo]

As fair as telling someone to do double the hours of a normal week.....and if you refuse then you are sacked

Dont think anyone would get away with that these days. The whole point is the matter of choice, and going back to my original point, these people would still find a way to work more hours, probably with a second job, cash in hand.

Who benefits?

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I agree that not as many would get away with it these days.

And I agree that folk should be given the choice to work as many hours as they want to, but you just have to be carful that the unscrupulous small employer who is not necessarily an avid fan of HR or employee rights, does not take advantage.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Recent research for the TUC showed that almost four million people worked more than 48 hours a week, with 2.4 million of them receiving no overtime payment. According to the TUC, two-thirds of British workers who work more than 48 hours have not been asked to opt out, and one in four were not given a choice about doing so, even though it is illegal.

I know plenty of people on the railway who work stupid hours: Those on shift who get paid overtime and if they could would "work" every hour under the sun - and when you "work" on the track, most of the time you're waiting around waiting for the power to be turned off or trains to stop running.

And those in the office who have to be the first in and the last out to impress the boss on their yearly bonus payments.

I fall into neither of these camps :D

However to put a lefty spin on it, how about paying your workers a decent hourly wage so they wouldn't feel the NEED to work stupid hours to make ends meet?

Broken Britain? Well of course when mummy & daddy have to work 50hrs+ a week to pay the bloody bills!

 

[steveo]

However to put a lefty spin on it, how about paying your workers a decent hourly wage so they wouldn't feel the NEED to work stupid hours to make ends meet?

But this is the unrealistic view shared by many workers. If a firm is barely making enough money to survive, how can they pay their workers more?.

Business has to be profitable to carry on. If you think the business owner is taking to big a share of the profits, you can always do what he did and start your own business.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I know plenty of people on the railway who work stupid hours: Those on shift who get paid overtime and if they could would "work" every hour under the sun - and when you "work" on the track, most of the time you're waiting around waiting for the power to be turned off or trains to stop running.

And those in the office who have to be the first in and the last out to impress the boss on their yearly bonus payments.

I fall into neither of these camps :D

However to put a lefty spin on it, how about paying your workers a decent hourly wage so they wouldn't feel the NEED to work stupid hours to make ends meet?

Broken Britain? Well of course when mummy & daddy have to work 50hrs+ a week to pay the bloody bills!

Thing is Paul, we all tend to live to our means.

If you received a pay rise from £35pa to £40pa and then 6 months later a large project came up and you got offered overtime or asked to be on call for an extra 15 yours a week for a month, I am sure that you would take it even if your salary was more reflective of your roles and responsibilities.

 

[MK Shrimper]

But this is the unrealistic view shared by many workers. If a firm is barely making enough money to survive, how can they pay their workers more?.

Business has to be profitable to carry on. If you think the business owner is taking to big a share of the profits, you can always do what he did and start your own business.

We're talking small business, fair enough. But huge multi-nationals?

And why does everyone have to start a business? How about the people that do the vital jobs that keeps society ticking over? The postman, the binman, the soldier...I could go on. Not everyone wants to be the next Alan Sugar - and these people deserve a decent wage and not have to work 80hrs+ to get it IM lefty HO.