Many British workers face a long hours culture. Photograph: Nick Clements/Getty Images
It looks like the UK government is to get its way over our working hours. After talks going on into the early hours of this morning, it emerged with the right to opt-out of the European working time directive still intact. As a result, UK bosses retain the right to ask workers to put in more than 48 hours a week.
Clearly in some lines of work a 48-hour limit may not be enough, and perhaps we need to retain the right to work longer hours to allow people to boost their earnings - with increasing numbers of people struggling to meet their financial commitments , maybe the right to earn more by working overtime is essential.
But, although employers can no longer ask new staff to opt out when they sign their contracts, unions have voiced concerns that workers could be coerced into working longer hours.
Employees have every right to say no, but in today's long-hours culture - 3.3 million workers exceed the 48-hour week and the UK works the longest hours in western Europe - not everyone would have the nerve to do so. If you have signed a waiver, was it because you wanted to or because you felt you had to?
