I've recently had 2 jobs offers for entry level post in management consultancy firms and am having trouble deciding between them. Although I expect, as with all consultancy roles, to work very hard and very long hours one of the contracts asks me to sign away the EU working time directive. I'm wondering how significant this is and how often consulting contracts demand it? Is it indicative of a far more aggressive and demanding culture?

I have worked for PwC / IBM, ACN, and a smaller consultancy in my career to date. All of these firms expect staff to work well over 48 hrs per week (esp as you move up the greasy pole) while also expecting staff to record a standard 7.5 or 8 hour day on their timesheet. If you record actual hours worked, these are often just overwritten / ignored. The result is that most UK consultancies circumvent the 48 hr working time directive. Good on your new employer by coming clean up form with you showing you that you are expected to work long hours. They obviously have some integrity, a factor sadly missing in my employers to date

My understanding of this is that it is not very significant in absolute terms in UK employment law. The UK government voted to keep the UK 'opt-out' of the EU working time directive in May 2005. It might have implications if you were to spend significant periods of time consulting in EU countries that have signed up to it, and you should consult more widely if this applies to you. I do not see the link between aggression and these particular job contracts from your message. However consulting is a demanding career choice so you are right to be prepared to work long hours sometimes. Afterall if you have been working long hours it can be very good to know that your employers are still reasonably honest and aware of business matters. Personally I think hypocrites and stupid people make lousy employers!

Not particularly significant - as most consulting companies will require you to work in excess of 50hrs/week fairly regularly.Please note that the so-called "UK opt-out" has to be validated individually, so in theory you have to give your consensus to it, and you should not be forced to do so (i.e. the offer should not be conditional on you accepting that). In practice, as other responses have pointed out, it's going to be quite hard for you to make a case for being routinely overworked based on the 48 hours limit.