EMPLOYERS and unions clashed over working hours ahead of today's crucial European Parliament meeting aimed at resolving a row over working time in the UK.

The parliament is due to debate planned revisions to the Working Time Directive which aims to limit the working week to 48 hours.

The UK is the only EU country that allows workers to opt out of the directive which employers argue is crucial to maintaining this country's employment flexibility.

But unions have complained the opt-out is regularly abused by companies which forces people to work long hours.

Plans to phase out the opt-out over three years and to average the working week over 12 months rather than the current 17 weeks are among proposals set to be debated by MEPs. The TUC said the Government and employers should accept the "sensible compromise".

General secretary Brendan Barber said: "This issue has been deadlocked for too long. The European Parliament should accept this sensible compromise. It certainly does not go as far as we would like, but it does meet the key objection from most employers who encourage their staff to sign an opt-out."

Employers say they need the flexibility to be able to cope with peaks and troughs.

of workload. An annual average does precisely this."

Mr Barber said ending the opt-out from the directive would strike a blow against the UK"s long hours culture.

But the Engineering Employers' Federation said the proposals were "damaging" and could hit the UK's flexible labour market.

David Yeandle, deputy director of employment policy, said: "The Government must continue to stand firm on this important issue."

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