Brown opposes move to cap working week

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will resist a move by the European Parliament to cap the working week at 48 hours, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Thursday, saying a cap would be "bad for business."

The European Parliament voted in Strasbourg on Wednesday to limit the working week, abolishing opt-outs from the policy secured by Britain and some other European Union governments.

Brown said he had discussed the assembly's vote with visiting Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country takes over the EU presidency for the first half of next year.

"Freedom of choice over working hours has operated successfully in the UK and a number of member states for many years and I continue to support the opt-out which gives that choice to UK workers," Brown told a news conference.

"I believe it's wrong to take away from workers the chance to work longer and earn more if they wish and ending the opt-out is bad for business," he said.

"So we together will continue to defend that position," he said, apparently referring to Topolanek who stood at his side.

EU states, which have a joint say with the assembly on the working time measure, had already agreed among themselves to allow people to work more than 48 hours a week if they want to.

Last-ditch talks between parliament and governments will now begin, with the outcome uncertain.

Britain was the first to secure an opt-out under the current EU rules adopted in 1993 so it can allow people to work more than 48 hours a week. Fourteen other EU states later acquired similar opt-outs for different sectors.