Discussions on the Working Time Directive's 48-hour opt-out clause have broken down without reaching an agreement, allowing business insurance customers to maintain long-working hours.
The meeting was held to look at the European Parliament's proposal of phasing out the clause in the next three years, which the UK and several other European Union member states were opposed to.
Pat McFadden, employment relations minister, commented: "We refused to be pushed into a bad deal for Britain. We have said consistently that we will not give up the opt-out and we have delivered on that pledge."
He added that retaining the opt-out allows business insurance holders to offer extra hours to their employees, which gives them the chance to earn more money in the difficult economic climate.
However, Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said the UK needs to tackle the long-hours working culture it has developed, claiming it causes worker illness and an increase in accidents.
The organisation also suggested that business insurance holders do not need to rely on long hours to survive the recession and said many workers want the opt-out to be removed from the Working Time Directive.
