UK Union Wins North Sea Work-time Directive

UK affiliate Amicus won an important court case over the EU’s Work Time Directive for North Sea offshore oil workers. A Scottish employment tribunal ruled 26 July that offshore contractors and oil companies cannot deny annual leave to workers because of the irregular pattern of work on offshore rigs. The European Commission had previously upheld Amicus’ claim to the four-week leave provision, and last month’s court decision from Aberdeen—considered a precedent-setting test case—negates employers’ arguments that the Work Time Directive does not apply to worksites beyond the 12-mile limit of UK’s territorial waters.