Jean, who has is a member of the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee and last year released her report ‘I must work harder? Britain and the Working Time Directive’, today said; "The Working Time Directive is in place to ensure that those people in particularly stressful jobs get the rest breaks they deserve and in the case of ambulance crews ensure they do not make vital medical mistakes so often bought on by tiredness.
"Indirect causes of long hours, such as tiredness on the roads, are particularly damaging with symptoms of stress and fatigue often worse than being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We do however have to put saving lives before having a cup of tea. "
London’s Green MEP Jean Lambert continued, "There is nothing in the Working Time Directive that says employers and their staff can not modify the terms and conditions to suit the career they are in. The issue here is not to undermine the Directive but to ask why there were not enough ambulance crews avaliable to cover all breaks and emergencies that day."