Futuríveis

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the FT/Harris poll reveals substantial support for greater freedom to work longer hours in Germany and France, countries which traditionally have attracted popular domestic backing for their more protective labour regulations.

High unemployment rates in Germany and France - which have been running at twice the rate of Britain's - and the prospect of losing more jobs to lower-cost eastern European labour markets, have prompted some politicians to reconsider the benefits of a more flexible approach to labour regulations.

The poll found that about 65 per cent of Germans and 52 per cent of French oppose government restrictions on working hours.

Only the Spanish were out of step, with 72 per cent of the population backing curbs.

Overall about 47 per cent of western Europeans oppose res-trictions on working hours. This still left a sizeable minority of 40 per cent who were in favour of controls. A third in the UK said the government should have the right to restrict working hours

Britain's opt-out under the EU working-time directive is strongly opposed by domestic unions which fear that vulnerable workers may be forced into choosing to work longer hours than is healthy.

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, responding to the survey said: "Attitudes to working-time protection crucially depend on how the question is asked.

"People do want protection against excess working hours that damage their health and relationships, even when poor pay forces them to notch up maximum overtime to provide a decent living standard."

There were big differences however in the attitudes of workers from different countries over their willingness to consider working beyond their normal retirement age.

British employees were most willing, with 72 per cent prepared to work longer compared with only 41 per cent of French workers.

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