Mr. John Arkins:

Any agreement outside the maximum legal week of 48 hours was already dealt with in the European court.

This is what the legislation states; the whole argument about this has been exhausted. I have no problem working 60 hours a week for my employer if he needs me to do so but I have a problem with someone saying I must do it. What I have a problem with is that, after six or seven months work, because I have exceeded 1,365 hours in that year, I cannot go down and sign on the social welfare because I am not available for work. That is the consequence of doing this which has been identified by the courts. This was born out of social and community justice. Workers need to have a life outside of their workplace; they need to be able to raise an issue or a grievance without their livelihood being taken off them.