In Europe, MEPs have voted to end the UK’s opt-out from the Working Time Directive.
Justin P Bentley, Chief Executive Officer, International Professional Security Association commented: "The amendments to the Working Time Directive are not finalised, they still need to go through another stage at the European Parliament. This final stage may introduce some level of compromise. Whilst many UK MEPs have voted in favour of the changes, the UK Government is against the change and is likely to use its influence where possible. Second, if the changes are approved, there will be a three year period to comply. This will give companies time to reflect on what changes need to be made and to negotiate new contracts with clients and employees." <br> <br>The amendments look also at total working hours, with specific clauses about employees with multiple employers and “the sum of the periods of time worked”, Justin Bentley said.<br><br>He added: "It is noted that certain companies are already implementing a 48 hour working week. We still have the issue of rates of pay – will we now be able to persuade clients to pay the rates that security officers deserve? We do not want security officers forced into the black market in order to make ends meet, but the Minimum Wage simply does not give them sufficient income in a 48 hour week. The change is not final, but as an industry we don’t want to stick our heads in the sand. Change is coming and I hope at long last it creates an opportunity for the security industry to become a financially viable career for security officers with an improved life/work balance." <br><br>Welcome<br> <br>The end to the opt-out’s welcomed by unions, who argue that it’s similar to the national minimum wage – that while businesses claimed that they would not remain competitive, in fact it has worked. <br><br>If the UK were to no longer be allowed to have workers doing more than an average 48 hour week, this would affect manned guarding among other sectors, where long hours – if only to make up for minimum wage levels – of 56 or 60 hours or more have been normal. <br><br>Reacting to the vote, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), David Frost, said:<br><br>“This decision sends the wrong signals to the rest of the world. We need to show that Europe, and the UK in particular, is open for business.<br><br>“We’re in the middle of a recession and as soon as we come out of this downturn, MEPs want businesses to have their competitive advantage stripped away.<br><br>“The Government must do more to ensure this vote is not the end of the road for our opt-out.”
