MEPs urge reconsideration of owner-driver's hours decision
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christaphermattonfBrbi.co.uk
A CROSS-PARTY group of MEPs, alongside the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the British Chamber of Commerce, have sent an open letter to the European Commission calling for it to re-think introducing a 48-hour working week for owner-drivers, Owner-drivers have been temporarily exempt from the legislation and allowed to set their own working hours since 2005. However, last month the European Parliament was unsuccessful in its vote to permanently exclude the self-employed from the Working lime Directive (CM 24 June). The letter, which has appeared in the Daily Telegraph. says: "Certain MEPs have now set a dangerous precedent by interfering in the manner in which the self-employed organise their working time. 'Ibis vote is the last thing wanted by an industry that is already suffering from over-regulation, high fuel prices and the recession."
The 100 signatories of the letter include Fiona Hall MEP, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament and Timothy Kirkhope MEP leader of the Conservative Delegation in the European Parliament.
Some 35 of the 87 UK MEPs support the campaign. The failure to win the vote last month means that self-employed drivers will now be limited to working a total of 48 hours a week, including all the loading, maintenance and administrative work. Previously, self-employed drivers could spend up to 56 hours a week actually driving, so long as they drove for no more than 90 hours over a two-week period.
John Walker, national chairman of the FSB, which was responsible for the formation of the letter, adds: It is recognised that the majority of today's successful road haulage businesses set up as sole traders and these rules will endanger the future formation of similar businesses.