More than two-thirds (67%) of zero-hours workers have worked for their employer more than one year. One in eight has been working for the same company for over a decade.
TUC reports that more than 720,000 employees are “stuck”, despite the fact that 84% of them would prefer to have regular work hours.
It found that almost half (45%) of workers on zero-hour contracts have worked for their employer for over two years.
As part of the Employment Rights Bill, the government has promised to eliminate “exploitative”, zero-hours contract. However, a recently formed parliamentary committee warned that banning these contracts could encourage “false employment”.
The TUC claims that those who are in favour of banning such contracts ignore the negative impact that unsecure work can have.
TUC research has previously shown that an average worker on a zero-hour contract earns about a third less per hour (PS10.68) than the median rate of pay (PS15.69).
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak stated: “Zero hours contracts give bosses nearly total control over workers’ earnings power and working hours. This makes it difficult for families to plan their budgets and childcare.
As we’ve seen in recent scandals, precarious contracts allow managers to harass and bully staff who are afraid of losing their shifts.
I challenge any boss to survive a few weeks on a contract with zero hours, not knowing how much work they’ll have from week to week – or even a decade.
He said that those “defending the status-quo” put their own interests before people’s lives.
He added, “This epidemic of insecure employment is not just a problem for workers; it is also a problem for our economy.”
Labour’s Employment Rights Bill is designed to crackdown on zero-hours contracting and end the scourge insecure work, delivering an economic reset that was much needed.
According to the Work Foundation of Lancaster University, in 2023 the number of young people with zero-hours contracts will reach record levels.
Nowak also reacted to claims made by shadow home secretary Chris Philp who said last week that UK had to “up their game” and improve their work ethic in order to compete with the global economy.
He said: The problem is not people’s work ethics – it’s that work does not pay.
One in six workers in the United States skips meals each week to get by. The Tories’ 14-year decline in living standards is what has left this legacy.
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