An Awkward Partner? Britain’s Implementation of the Working Time Directive

Time and Society, Vol. 10, 2001

21 Pages Posted: 17 Jun 2012

See all articles by Alasdair Blair

Alasdair Blair

De Montfort University

John Leopold

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Luchien Karsten

University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business

Date Written: January 2001

Abstract

The dominance of member states in the field of social policy has been traditionally depicted as one of the main hurdles facing the development of a European social policy. Resistance by national government to the transfer of influence and control over social policy to the European level has been particularly true for Britain. Opposition to various initiatives, such as the Social Charter and Social Chapter has demonstrated this. It is in this context that this article examines Britain’s implementation of the Working Time Directive, this being demonstrative of the distinction between member states and the EU in the social policy arena. In this sense, the Working Time Directive is significant not just because of the provisions it brings to British employees, but because it demonstrates the changing nature of the relationship between member states and the EU in the realm of social policy.

Suggested Citation

Blair, Alasdair and Leopold, John and Karsten, Luchien, An Awkward Partner? Britain’s Implementation of the Working Time Directive (January 2001). Time and Society, Vol. 10, 2001, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2085518

Alasdair Blair (Contact Author)

De Montfort University ( email )

United Kingdom
0116 257 7209 (Phone)
0116 257 7186 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/pol

John Leopold

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Luchien Karsten

University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business ( email )

Postbus 72
9700 AB Groningen
Netherlands
+31 50 363 3848 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.bdk.rug.nl/medewerkers/l.karsten/curriculum.html

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