22/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - European unions criticise lack of guarantee for protection of all workers (EUROPE 10282). In a declaration, John Monks, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), has indicated that “the acceptance of the Commission of on-call time being working time just reiterates the status quo after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgments under the current Directive. The fact that no end, or at least phasing out, of the opt-out is proposed shows that again the European Commission did not take seriously its obligations under the Charter of Fundamental Rights - to guarantee to every worker in the EU the right to limit his/her working hours in order to respect his/her health, safety and dignity at work. I don't see how trade unions could approve a package that maintains the opt-out and extends reference periods without serious safeguards”. (Com-G.B/transl.fl)