The threat of further change to the Working Time Directive has been dismissed as “union scare-mongering” by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Amicus trade union has complained to the European Commission that the UK’s Working Time regulations do not properly implement the EC Working Time Directive.

Trade Union Amicus questioned apparent differences between the principle and practice of the law in the UK. UK employees are currently allowed to volunteer to work more than 48 hours a week, Amicus noted. Overtime hours for UK workers on night shifts are excluded from the overall 48-hour week count.

Press coverage of the issue was “simply speculation”, said Marcia Roberts, external relations director of the REC [pictured]. “It is possible that the UK is acting illegally, but we won’t know for another two or three months.”

The recruitment industry might actually benefit from such changes to the Working Time Directive, said Roberts. “This would be a nightmare for British industry. But it might actually prove a good opportunity for the recruitment industry, since British industry is going to need more staff to make up the work.”

The implementation of the Working Time Directive, which became law in October 1998, has always been controversial. Recruiters were given little guidance by the government on how to adhere to the legislation when it was introduced. Last year, agencies again had to alter their contracts when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that temps should receive holiday pay from day one.