Local and regional governments as employers

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has called on the European Parliament to support the new definition of working time, ahead of the vote on the Commission's communication in the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and social affairs (on 20 April 2005).

 

In its recommendations, CEMR also calls on MEPs to support the extention of the reference period to calculate maximum weekly working time (to be extended from 4 to 12 months).

 

Furthermore, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions calls for the opt-out option of the "48 hour maximum working week" to be maintained, but with tightened up conditions for its application when there is no collective agreement.

 

It calls for new provisions explicitly stating that employers do not need to provide compensary rest immediately after a working period, but within reasonable time to be agreed through collective bargaining or set by national law, practices or traditions.

 

Amongst other points, CEMR stresses that the working time directive's main objective is to protect the health and safety of workers; it is not meant to improve compatibility between professional and family life, or to seek and reach other Lisbon objectives.

 

Note: CEMR is a recognised partner of the European sectoral social dialogue, as local and regional government's representative, where it acts as the employer's side.

 

CEMR's full position on the working time directive

 

CEMR's Employer's platform