The Trades Union Congress says Britain's policy of allowing companies to opt-out of the European Union Working Time Directive, meaning people to work over the 48-hour a week limit on a "voluntary" basis, meant the protection it offered could be circumvented.

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They have not forgotten that, a few years later, the European Commission circumvented their opt-out by calling a directive to limit the hours employees may work a health-and-safety measure, not a social one.

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And a Tory promise to restore national control over social and employment legislation has been replaced by a more nuanced commitment to "examine the balance of the EU's existing competences" and, in particular, to "work to limit" the application of the working time directive.

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The changes, which would allow states greater flexibility in administering their welfare-to-work programs, were in a directive issued last month by the Department of Health and Human Services.

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"We will examine the balance of the EU's existing competences and will, in particular, work to limit the application of the Working Time Directive in the United Kingdom, " the agreement said.

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An EU directive, incorporated into UK law, limits the amount of time that most people work to 48 hours a week.

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"An FAA inspector will have to accept the work before the airplane technically is in compliance with the (directive), " said FAA spokesman Les Dorr.

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Under a new directive, Russian, Belarussian and Ukrainian farm workers will no longer require work permits for seasonal jobs of up to three months.

BBC: NEWS | Europe | Poland eases rules to fill jobs