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P LETTER OF THE WEEK

3rd December 2009
Page 19
Page 19, 3rd December 2009 — P LETTER OF THE WEEK
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords :

A Lot of mischief-making over hours of frustration

I THINK CM'S OPERATORS Panel has been more than a little mischievous in highlighting the exemption for self-employed drivers from the 48-hour working week (12 November) — are you trying to alienate some of your readers?

I Self-employment is not an easy option, you sink or swim by your own effort — and a bit of luck. You certainly don't get paid for just appearing at the workplace with a nice salary cheque at the end of the month, regardless of the fortunes of the business.

As a driver, there are the drivers' hours regulations, which, if you follow them, limit your driving hours and are reasonable and sensible. But that still leaves several other jobs that have to be done as part of running a business.

I suppose I could acquire a wife and get her to do the office work, but I would then no doubt get a lot of other jobs to do, so wouldn't actually gain anything in terms of free time, and would have increased my overheads in the process.

You recently carried an interesting article on McArdle Transport. I'm sure you stated that the transport manager is in his office by about 6am and rarely leaves before 6pm. Over five days that's 60 hours. Are business managers allowed/expected to do a lot of hours?

How many readers watch Dragons Den? I'm sure none of the 'Dragons got where they are by watching how many hours they work. I don't profess to be a budding Dragon, but it's wrong that if someone '1.8 willing and able to work to try to get on in life, they should be prevented from doing so, especially by an unelected and unwanted European body. It's almost backdoor communism, an effort to keep everyone in their little slot and stop free spirit, enterprise and endeavour.

As panellist Charles Burke said, Tony Blair admitted that when he was Prime Minister, he worked more than 48 hours per week — another case of do as I say, not as I do? Maybe in his case, and that of our current PM, we'd all be better off if they did less. Vernon Hill

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