EU Working Hours Directive, Effective New Year.

[Agaricus bisporus]

As I understand it the EU will, by New Year, end all the exemptions from its working hours regulations traditionally "enjoyed" by the transport sector, eg truckers and pilots/crew amongst others. This will bring them into line with such safety critical workers as accountants, shop assistants and road sweepers who for years have had protection from excessive working hours that might damage their lifestyles or the lives of those who depend upon them.

Is this really going to happen?

Can anyone quote the proposed working hours in question?

If so how would airlines cope with major reductions in working hours?

Have any airlines revealed their plans to manage this situation?

[Nearly Nigel]

Airlines don't manage such situations.

They simply bluner on with heads in the sand until after the event and then react like headless chickens.

Sounds like it may be good news though... Probably too good to be true. I am not holding my breath.

[Scottie]

According to my other half who already works under this directive your employer can ask you too sign a form which gives them the right to work you in excess of 48 hours.

Wonder if there'll be a clear lead from the union on this one?

[YouNeverStopLearning]

For the real thing follows the links!

index:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/work_time_regs/wtr0.htm

hours:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/work_time_regs/wtr2.htm#section2

time off:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/work_time_regs/wtr5.htm#section5

NOTE:

an employer CANNOT force you to sign the 48 hour waiver form, nor can they sack you for not signing it.

[dusk2dawn]

WORKING TIME REGULATIONS

Where the regulations do not apply:

Air transport, as covered by the Aviation Directive (2000/79/EC). This Directive affects all mobile workers in commercial air transport (both flight crew and cabin crew), but not workers employed in General Aviation.
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The Aviation Directive (2000/79/EC) has few limits: 2000 working hours/year and 900 block hours / year.

OPS 1 Suppart Q is still some years away...

[maxy101]

Perhaps BALPA will "win" us an exemption from this directive?

[witchdoctor]

Careful about tweaking the tails of those other 'safety critical' workers AB.

There is a far greater likelihood that you will be killed by a tired shop worker falling asleep behind the wheel of their car after a 90hr week, than by a tired, well-trained pilot working in a multi-crew environment crashing his a/c. What's worse, is that the shopworker's death in service benefit wouldn't even come close to the average pilot's basic salary.

Can't say I've ever regretted leaving one for the other, but the general bellyaching is actually more galling than before. Guess it just depends what you're used to.

The working time directive is generally a good thing, and despite the fears that 'management' (I was one and we're not all evil - well not all the time) will persecute those who opt out of the voluntary extensions are largely unfounded. It was exactly the same in retail when the legislation first came into effect, but even the most unpleasant senior managers bowed to the inevitable and accepted the new rules of the game.

[Meeb]

Witchdoctor, your post has given me thie biggest laugh for many a day on PPRuNe!

Maybe you were a manager, but certainly not in Aviation... 'Evil' is far too mild a term to describe airline management.... :E

[witchdoctor]

Meeb

Ta, just about the only compliment I can remember.;)

Oh, apart from the "What a lovely way you handed us all your money for the licence Mr WD".:O

Airline managers are all just big pussies really.

[Anthony Carn]

Airline managers are all just big pussies really.
Something along those lines, I'll agree. :rolleyes:

Your assesment of the effect of fatigue on the safety level in a two-crew cockpit are based upon some pretty poor assumptions. Yep, so that proves it - you obviously were management, then.

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Perhaps BALPA will "win" us an exemption from this directive?
I'd laugh if it was'nt for crying.

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Dream on everyone.

I wonder if all of the inevitable aviation accidents will come at once, or be neatly spread over the next few years ? :uhoh:

[GEENY]

Has anyone checked the limits in Italy?

[Croqueteer]

:sad: Dusk2dawn has got it in one. We are excluded, and always will be. I have regularly worked up to 12 hrs with no formal break, bad enough for us sitting on our butts, but cabin crew often do not have a free minute in this time. We allow ourselves to be made mugs of.

[jumpseater]

So whats the definition of a mobile worker? thinking of ground handling bods here....