The long overdue review of the UK's opt-out from the 48-hour
cap on working hours is underway led by the European Commission.
So in reality, it would not take much to show a greater willingness
to cooperate with the rest of the industry.
Ever since the Working Time Directive was introduced into UK
law in October 1998 trade unions including BECTU has campaigned
to strengthen the implementation of the legislation to bring about
real improvements to health and safety at work.
However whilst BECTU won a landmark case in the European courts
which proved that the government had failed to implement the provisions
on annual leave properly, domestic efforts to limit the long-hours
culture which is rife in broadcasting and film have so far proved
less successful.
BECTU's submission to the review calls amongst other things for
the 48-opt out to be removed altogether and for contracts which
make the opt-out a condition of employment to be ruled out of
order. The TUC's submission to the review draws on experience
of the ill-effects of the 48-opt across industry and cites case
studies presented by BECTU.
The TUC is critical of weak enforcement provisions in the UK
and states "the UK still has an entrenched long-hours culture
with an incidence of long hours working that is twice the EU average,
UK full-time workers work the longest hours in the EU and our
workers suffer from a high incidence of all of the ailments that
are associated with working excessive hours, such as heart problems,
stress and depression"
The TUC also states the long-hours culture has ill effects in
a number of other important areas beyond health and safety namely:
PACT the employers organisation for independent film and TV production
is calling for the retention of the opt-out which it regards as
necessary to the flexibility of the industry and they are being
supported in this by ITV plc despite the admission recently by
a senior executive that working hours on its most valued programme
are "horrendous".
The European Commission is due to rule on the future of the opt-out
in the UK later this year.
