World News 12-05-2005 Labour MEPs Defy Blair who: TUC general secretary Brendan Barber what: Urges government not to oppose EU`s Working Time Directive when: Wednesday snippet: The European Parliament has voted "to strip employees of their right to work more than 48 hours a week," says The Telegraph. A 19-strong group of Labour MEPs "defied Tony Blair to join other socialists in seeking to end Britain`s long-standing `opt-out` from the EU`s working time directive." "Britain intends to put together a blocking minority of several countries to overturn the result and preserve the opt-out," says The Times. "Former communist countries from eastern Europe who have recently joined the EU are understood to oppose stricter labour laws. EU employment ministers will give their first verdict on the vote at talks next month." "The opt-out harms health and safety, family life and productivity of workers," claims Tony Woodley, head of the Transport and General Workers Union, quoted in The Mirror. "MEPs have done the right thing for British workers who have been put under unacceptable pressure to sign away their rights in the past by employers." "There could be no clearer sign of Tony Blair`s waning authority," says Conservative MEP Philip Bushill-Matthews, quoted in The Sun. "Abolition of the opt-out will have a devastating effect on business." It is true that many businesses say they cannot survive without the opt-out - unique to British workers - which was secured by Conservative prime minister John Major 12 years ago. "Interestingly," recalls The Guardian, "Labour supported the directive in opposition, saying it would help restore a fair balance between the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees. It has been rather less enthusiastic about it since being in power." In other news of workers` rights, The Mirror says Blackpool Council has decided that donkeys on the beach "are to get an hour for lunch as well as Fridays off". Currently they are put to work between 10am and 7pm, but from this summer, inspectors will ensure the animals are ferrying children for no more than... 48 hours a week. [... more]

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