Bradford's biggest private employer is bidding to come to terms with the latest European directive on working hours.

Grattan employs more than 4,500 people at its massive mail order plant which stretches from the top of Ingleby Road to Thornton Road.

A further 500 are employed in other parts of the country including 200 who handle parcels at ten distribution points.

They put in more than 50 hours a week - more than the European Union's Working Time Directive, which was introduced in the UK yesterday, allows without agreement.

Steve Bullas, the firm's chief executive, said today that the company was in negotiation with the union Usdaw about the problem and expected it to be resolved soon.

Terry Jacques, Usdaw's north-east divisional officer, said negotiations were taking place with Grattan, Empire and Morrisons in the Bradford area over the directive.

He said: "The better employers will have no problems with the new law but there are employers who still treat their employees badly and these are the ones who are making the most noise about this."

Mike Hawker, chief executive of competitor Empire, which employs more than 800 workers at its Canal Road headquarters and a further thousand at Wakefield, said the firm had a responsibility for its workers' working week which meant it had an additional administrative burden of carrying out a questionnaire to make sure they did not exceed the new limit with the work they did away from Empire.

Bradford has a number of large firms but many more small to medium enterprises which will find it difficult to meet the requirements of the regulations.

Bradford Chamber of Commerce fears firms have not been given enough time to get to grips with the new laws. A spokesman said: "The Government should note that the timing of the legislation will coincide with other major legislation such as the National Minimum Wage and Fairness at Work which will require much greater emphasis on record-keeping."

Thousands of low-paid workers in Bradford, particularly in textiles, will be better off under the new regulations. Some firms are known for demanding up to 70 hours a week in overtime at short notice for low pay.

The new regulations will put paid to this. People will still be able to volunteer to work longer than 48 hours but firms will have to give a week's notice.

Iain Jenkins, head of employment law at Bradford solicitors Lee & Priestley, said: "Businesses should take the directive seriously but should not go into a frenzy about it. Peter Mandelson has already said it will not be enforced with rigour."

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