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FTA: Stagger WTD or cripple industry
Page 6
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FTA calls for action after reports show our Continental rivals aren't abiding by INTD legislation. Jennifer Ball reports.
THE FREIGHT TRANSPORT Association has renewed its call for a staggered start to the Working Time Directive after research indicated that several European countries are ignoring the new hours limits.
The FTA wrote to the government last month requesting that the UK should adopt a 54-hour week next year and 50 hours in 2006 before moving to the WTD limit of 48 hours in 2007.
But Transport Minister David Jamieson replied that the government remains committed to the 23 March 2005 launch of the WTD, adding that it will not breach its European Union agreement.
FTA chief executive Richard Turner has written back to Jamieson asking him to review the government's position (CM 27 May). He explains: -We have highlighted how other EU states such as Ireland have still not implemented the Horizontal Directive, which came into force last August.These states are unlikely to have everything all lined up by next March so why not us?
"We are committed to the WTD but want it to be implemented in a way that is digestible to the economy. This is one European cup we don't want to win."
To date neither Ireland nor France has drafted any legislation to enact the WTD, not even the horizontal Directive,which covers warehouse staff and other nonmobile transport workers.
An FTA spokesman warns: "It will put our costs up as we try to change from a 55-hour week to a 48-hour one. It's a big problem."