The Trades Union Congress yesterday stepped up its campaign for shorter working hours with an attack on the Government for maintaining an opt-out from a European directive that limits hours to 48 a week.
The European Commission will meet in Brussels today to discuss the Working Time Directive and the Government's case for maintaining the opt-out.
The TUC said the Government was denying that long hours affected health and safety, despite research showing "clear grounds for concern".
The reduction in working hours was so slow that it would take 40 years for the UK to reach the European average, said the union organisation.
General secretary Brendan Barber said: "The UK Government's evidence is riddled with errors, inconsistencies and sloppy argument. If this is the best they can do, it shows the strength of the case for ending the opt-out.
"Our only worry is that the commission may fail to understand that this is little more than a cut and paste job from employer lobbying."
The Department of Trade and Industry said the Government was dealing with the UK's long-hours culture but said that a flexible labour market was important.
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