Scrutable

Worker protections enshrined in EU law — including the 48-hour week — would be ripped up under plans being drawn up by the government as part of a post-Brexit overhaul of UK labour markets. 

The package of deregulatory measures is being put together by the UK’s business department with the approval of Downing Street, according to people familiar with the matter. It has not yet been agreed by ministers — or put to the cabinet — but select business leaders have been sounded out on the plan.

The proposed shake-up of regulations from the “working time directive” will delight many Tory MPs but is likely to spark outrage among Britain’s trade union leaders.

The move would potentially mark a clear divergence from EU labour market standards but the UK would only face retaliation from Brussels under the terms of its new post-Brexit trade treaty if the EU could demonstrate the changes had a material impact on competition.

The main areas of focus are on ending the 48-hour working week, tweaking the rules around rest breaks at work and not including overtime pay when calculating some holiday pay entitlements, said people familiar with the plans.

The government also wants to remove the requirement of businesses to log the detailed, daily reporting of working hours, saving an estimated £1bn.

[...]

A change in the calculation of holiday pay could be “a significant monetary loss” for a low-paid worker often forced into overtime to make ends meet, the TUC official said.

It is also not clear that business, which is already adjusting to Brexit and battling the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, is currently clamouring for a fundamental overhaul of workers’ rights.

Bird on a Fire wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 12:15 pm It's going to be interesting when the government has to argue to the EU that this isn't making a material difference to competition, because that raises the question of why do it at all.

Bird on a Fire wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 12:15 pm It's going to be interesting when the government has to argue to the EU that this isn't making a material difference to competition, because that raises the question of why do it at all.

Woodchopper wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 12:39 pm

Bird on a Fire wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 12:15 pm It's going to be interesting when the government has to argue to the EU that this isn't making a material difference to competition, because that raises the question of why do it at all.

It could be argued that the main effects are to be found in industries that aren't in competition with EU based firms - eg healthcare or retail. It'll take a few years before we can work out the effects.

I didn't quote it but an interesting aspect of the article was that business didn't seem to be enthusiastic. It looked like they would prefer a bit of stability.